Piper PA-28RT-201T accident near Santa Ynez, California, March 9, 1987
On March 9, 1987, a Piper PA-28RT-201T, registered N8162X, was substantially damaged in an accident near Santa Ynez, California (Santa Ynez airport). It was a personal flight under general aviation rules (Part 91). No one was hurt; 4 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
- March 9, 1987
- Place
- Santa Ynez, California · Santa Ynez · map
- Type
- Accident
- Injuries
- No one was hurt; 4 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
- N8162X · no longer on the register · serial 28R-8031067
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Personal flight · general aviation rules (Part 91)
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
JUST AFTER TAKEOFF, THE PLT REPORTED AN ENGINE FAILURE. UNABLE TO RETURN TO THE AIRPORT THE PLT LANDED IN AN OPEN FIELD AND COLLIDED WITH THE TERRAIN. DURING THE ENGINE EXAMINATION THE FUEL DIVERTER VALVE WAS REMOVED. LOW AIR PRESSURE WAS APPLIED TO ALL THREE FITTINGS, NO AIR FLOW THRU THE VALVE COULD BE OBTAINED. THE VALVE WAS DISASSEMBLED WHICH REVEALED THAT A PIECE OF THE PLUNGER CORE, A RUBBER TYPE COMPOUND, HAD BROKEN AWAY FROM THE PLUNGER AND WAS LODGED IN THE FUEL OUTLET FITTING BLOCKING THE FLOW OF FUEL. NO OTHER MECHANICAL FAILURES OR MALFUNCTIONS WERE NOTED.
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, commercial pilot
- Ratings: multi-engine land; single-engine land; single-engine sea; instructor: airplane multi-engine; instructor: airplane single-engine; instructor: instrument airplane; instrument: airplane
- Flight time: 4,770 hours in all; 47 in this make and model; 22 in the last 90 days; 5 in the last 30 days; 4,505 as pilot in command; 1,687 on instruments
- Medical certificate: Class 1 (valid medical--w/ waivers/lim.)
- Seat: rgt
The aircraft
- Last inspection: annual inspection; 60 hours since
- Maximum gross weight: 2,900 lb
- Seats: 4
- Landing gear: retractable
- Engine: Continental TSIO-360-KB (piston); 0 hours total
The flight
- Departed from: 1ZA Santa Ynez CA
- Destination: MMH Mammoth Lakes CA
- Flight plan: none
- Runway 26, 2,800 ft by 75 ft
- A second pilot was aboard
Weather at the time
- Light: daylight
- Wind: from 240° at 7 knots
- Visibility: 25 statute miles
- Sky: broken clouds at 25,000 ft; scat at 10,000 ft
- Temperature: 59°F (15°C), dew point 52°F (11°C)
- Altimeter: 29.00 inHg
Injuries
| Fatal | Serious | Minor | None | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Crew | 1 | |||
| Passengers | 3 |
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.