Piper PA-28RT-201T accident near Madera, California, October 23, 1986
On October 23, 1986 at about 5:15 pm local time, a Piper PA-28RT-201T, registered N2853X, was substantially damaged in an accident near Madera, California. It was an instructional flight under general aviation rules (Part 91). No one was hurt; 2 people were on board or involved. 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
- October 23, 1986 · about 5:15 pm local time
- Place
- Madera, California · map
- Type
- Accident
- Injuries
- No one was hurt; 2 people were on board or involved.
- Weather
- visual conditions (good weather)
- Aircraft
- Piper PA-28RT-201T PA-28RT-20 · all PA-28RT-201Ts on the register
- Registration
- N2853X · no longer on the register · serial 28R7931226
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Instructional flight · general aviation rules (Part 91)
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
DURING A DUAL INSTRUCTIONAL FLIGHT, THE PILOTS WERE PRACTICING A SIMULATED ENGINE OUT PROCEDURE. ENGINE POWER HAD BEEN REDUCED TO 15' OF MANIFOLD PRESSURE. WHEN AN ATTEMPT WAS MADE TO ADD POWER AT AN ALTITUDE OF ABOUT 500 FT, THE ENGINE QUIT. THE INSTRUCTOR TRIED TO RESTART THE ENGINE, BUT WAS UNSUCCESSFUL. THE INSTRUCTOR SAID THAT DURING THE ATTEMPTED RESTART, THE 'HI' PUMP POSITION WAS SELECTED. ACCORDING TO THE FLIGHT MANUAL, 'ACTUATION OF THE HI FUEL PUMP POSITION, WHEN THE ENGINE IS OPERATING NORMALLY, MAY CAUSE ENGINE ROUGHNESS AND/OR POWER LOSS.' NO PREIMPACT PART MALFUNCTION OR FAILURE WAS FOUND.
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: airline transport pilot, flight instructor
- Ratings: multi-engine land; single-engine land; instructor: airplane multi-engine; instructor: airplane single-engine; instrument: airplane
- Flight time: 16,500 hours in all; 25 in this make and model; 130 in the last 90 days; 30 in the last 30 days; 16,300 as pilot in command; 10,000 on instruments
- Medical certificate: Class 2 (valid medical--w/ waivers/lim.)
- Seat: rgt
The aircraft
- Airframe total time: 1,470 hours
- Last inspection: annual inspection, August 27, 1986; 20 hours since
- Maximum gross weight: 2,900 lb
- Seats: 4
- Landing gear: retractable
- Engine: Continental TSIO-360 (piston); 0 hours total
The flight
- Departed from: FAT Fresno CA at 4:45 pm
- Flight plan: none
- Runway 0
- A second pilot was aboard
Weather at the time
- Light: daylight
- Wind: from 170° at 6 knots
- Visibility: 8 statute miles
- Sky: overcast at 25,000 ft; scat at 12,000 ft
- Temperature: 64°F (18°C), dew point 45°F (7°C)
- Altimeter: 30.00 inHg
- Observation at 4:50 pm from FAT, 12 miles away
Injuries
| Fatal | Serious | Minor | None | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Crew | 2 |
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.