Piper AEROSTAR 601P accident near Corona, California, September 14, 1987
On September 14, 1987 at about 6:30 pm local time, a Piper AEROSTAR 601P, registered N902RG, was destroyed in an accident near Corona, California. It was a business flight under general aviation rules (Part 91). 1 person was seriously injured and 1 person had minor injuries. The weather was visual conditions (good weather).
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
- September 14, 1987 · about 6:30 pm local time
- Place
- Corona, California
- Type
- Accident
- Injuries
- 1 person was seriously injured and 1 person had minor injuries.
- Weather
- visual conditions (good weather)
- Aircraft
- Piper AEROSTAR 601P AEROSTAR 6 · all AEROSTAR 601Ps on the register
- Registration
- N902RG · no longer on the register
- Damage
- Destroyed
- Flight
- Business flight · general aviation rules (Part 91)
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
THE AIRPLANE WAS REFUELED BEFORE IT DEPT ON THE ACCD FLIGHT; THE PILOT DID NOT SUPERVISE THE FUELING. SHORTLY AFTER TAKEOFF, THE PLT ADVISED THE ONTARIO DEPT CONTROLLER THAT BOTH ENGINES WERE EXPERIENCING A POWER LOSS AND THAT HE SUSPECTED JET FUEL CONTAMINATION. THE AIRPLANE COLLIDED WITH A BERM DURING THE ENSUING FORCED LANDING. THE INVESTIGATION REVEALED THAT THE FBO FUELED THE AIRPLANE WITH 131.3 GALS OF JET A FUEL. INVESTIGATORS DID NOT LOCATE ANY WITNESSES WHO SAW THE PLT PREFLT THE AIRPLANE. THE PILOT SUSTAINED SEVERE HEAD INJURIES & COULD NOT RECALL IF HE HAD PREFLIGHTED THE AIRPLANE - THE RT FRONT SEAT PAX WAS NOT PRESENT WHEN THE PLT BOARDED THE AIRCRAFT.
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: private
- Ratings: multi-engine land; single-engine land; instrument: airplane
- Flight time: 4,634 hours in all; 120 in this make and model; 4,634 as pilot in command
- Medical certificate: Class 3 (valid medical--no waivers/lim.)
- Seat: left
The aircraft
- Airframe total time: 1,295 hours
- Last inspection: annual inspection, July 3, 1987; 15 hours since
- Maximum gross weight: 6,000 lb
- Seats: 6
- Landing gear: retractable
- Engine: Lycoming IO-540-S1A5 (piston); 0 hours total
- Operator: Cal Aero Aircraft Sales, INC
The flight
- Departed from: CNO at 6:23 pm
- Destination: CRQ Carlsbad CA
- Flight plan: none
- Runway 0
Weather at the time
- Light: daylight
- Wind: from 340° at 7 knots
- Visibility: 20 statute miles
- Sky: clear
- Temperature: 84°F (29°C), dew point 0°F (-18°C)
Injuries
| Fatal | Serious | Minor | None | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Crew | 1 | |||
| Passengers | 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.