Piper PA-28-140 accident near Anza, California, March 23, 1987
On March 23, 1987 at about 5:00 pm local time, a Piper PA-28-140, registered N2439T, was substantially damaged in an accident near Anza, California. It was a personal flight under general aviation rules (Part 91). 2 people 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
- March 23, 1987 · about 5:00 pm local time
- Place
- Anza, California
- Type
- Accident
- Injuries
- 2 people had minor injuries.
- Weather
- visual conditions (good weather)
- Aircraft
- Piper PA-28-140 · all PA-28-140s on the register
- Registration
- N2439T · registry record · serial 287225073
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Personal flight · general aviation rules (Part 91)
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
DURING A LOCAL SIGHT SEEING FLT THE PLT ENTERED A RIVER VALLEY IN MOUNTAINOUS TERRAIN AT ABOUT 1,000 FT AGL. AFTER ABOUT 5 MILES, THE PLT DECIDED TO EXIT THE NARROWING VALLEY WITH A CLIMBING RIGHT TURN OVER A RIDGE LINE. ABOUT 2/3 OF THE WAY UP THE SLOPE, THE PLT REALIZED THAT THE ACFT MIGHT NOT MAKE THE TOP OF THE RIDGE LINE AND THERE WAS INSUFFICIENT ALTITUDE OR AIRSPEED TO ATTEMPT TO TURN AWAY FROM THE RAPIDLY RISING SLOPE SAFELY SO HE ELECTED TO MAKE A CONTROLLED LANDING AT NEAR STALL SPEED. THE ACFT CONTACTED THE MOUNTAINSIDE ABOUT 300 FT BELOW THE TOP OF THE RIDGE LINE. THE PLT IS AN ACTIVE DUTY MILITARY PLT ASSIGNED TO FLY LOCKHEED C-141B TRANSPORTS AND ALL HIS FLT TIME IS IN HIGH PERFORMANCE JETS EXCEPT FOR ABOUT 32 HOURS OF GENERAL AVIATION FLT EXPERIENCE OBTAINED 2 YEARS PRIOR TO THE ACCIDENT. THE PLT SAID THAT HE OVERESTIMATED THE PERFORMANCE OF THE ACFT AND HAD NO PRIOR EXPERIENCE IN SINGLE ENGINE PROP MOUNTAIN 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: commercial pilot, military
- Ratings: multi-engine land; single-engine land; instrument: airplane
- Flight time: 1,397 hours in all; 2 in this make and model; 143 in the last 90 days; 53 in the last 30 days; 949 as pilot in command
- Medical certificate: Class 2 (valid medical--no waivers/lim.)
- Seat: left
The aircraft
- Airframe total time: 6,116 hours
- Last inspection: annual inspection, January 30, 1987; 16 hours since
- Maximum gross weight: 2,150 lb
- Seats: 2
- Landing gear: fixed
- Engine: Lycoming O-320-E3D (piston); 0 hours total
The flight
- Departed from: HMT Hemet CA at 4:30 pm
- Flight plan: none
- Runway 0
Weather at the time
- Light: daylight
- Wind: from 270° at 10 knots
- Visibility: 50 statute miles
- Sky: clear
- Temperature: 0°F (-18°C), dew point 0°F (-18°C)
- Altimeter: 29.00 inHg
- Observation at 10:00 am
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.