Piper PA-28-181 accident near Gualala, California, February 1, 1987
On February 1, 1987 at about 8:00 pm local time, a Piper PA-28-181, registered N75178, was destroyed in an accident near Gualala, California. It was a personal flight under general aviation rules (Part 91). 1 person was killed. The weather was instrument conditions (cloud, fog or low visibility).
The NTSB's probable cause their words, unchanged
The NTSB has not yet published a probable cause for this accident. Investigations usually take one to two years; this page updates when the final report is released.
Source: NTSB aviation accident database, copy made October 5, 2026. Docket and reports at the NTSB.
What the record shows
- Date
- February 1, 1987 · about 8:00 pm local time
- Place
- Gualala, California · map
- Type
- Accident
- Injuries
- 1 person was killed.
- Weather
- instrument conditions (cloud, fog or low visibility)
- Aircraft
- Piper PA-28-181 · all PA-28-181s on the register
- Registration
- N75178 · no longer on the register · serial 28-7690307
- Damage
- Destroyed
- Flight
- Personal flight · general aviation rules (Part 91)
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
THE STUDENT PLT, FLYING HIS OWN ACFT, TOOK OFF UNDER VFR CONDITIONS FOR AN INTENDED 45 MIN SOLO CROSS COUNTRY FLT. THE PLT ENCOUNTERED DETERIORATING WX & ATTEMPTED TO RETURN TO THE DEPARTURE AIRPORT. A WITNESS OBSERVED THE AIRCRAFT ENTER CLOUDS, TURN LEFT & COLLIDE WITH TREES ON UPSLOPING MOUNTAINOUS TERRAIN. THE STUDENT PLT'S CERTIFICATE WAS NOT ENDORSED FOR SOLO OR SOLO CROSS COUNTRY FLYING.
The complete narrative as the NTSB published it. The NTSB's docket holds the report as a PDF and any photographs, statements and other documents from the investigation.
The factual record from the NTSB's investigation tables, in plain English
Pilot
- Certificate: student
- Flight time: 465 hours in all
- Medical certificate: Class 3
- Seat: left
The aircraft
- Last inspection: annual inspection, April 20, 1986
- Maximum gross weight: 2,550 lb
- Seats: 4
- Landing gear: fixed
- Engine: Lycoming O-360-A4M (piston); 0 hours total
The flight
- Departed from: Q69 Gualala CA at 7:45 pm
- Destination: CA35 San Rafael CA
- Flight plan: none
- Runway 0
Weather at the time
- Light: daylight
- Sky: not recorded
- Temperature: 36°F (2°C), dew point 0°F (-18°C)
Injuries
| Fatal | Serious | Minor | None | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Crew | 1 |
Documents from the investigation the NTSB's docket: the evidence folder behind the report
The docket, the folder of records gathered during an investigation (maintenance records, photographs, witness statements, examinations), has not been read from the NTSB for this case yet; the list appears here once it has. Open the docket at the NTSB.
Everything on this page comes from the NTSB's public records. The narrative, probable cause and findings are the NTSB's own words; the coded tables behind the report are written out in plain English, with pilots' ages, home towns and medical details left out. The documents and photographs are the NTSB's docket, shown as the NTSB released them. This site's own text never names anyone involved. A preliminary report can change; the final report usually follows one to two years later, and the page is refreshed when it does.