Piper PA-28-140 accident near Essex, California, April 17, 1988
On April 17, 1988 at about 5:45 pm local time, a Piper PA-28-140, registered N1681J, was destroyed in an accident near Essex, California. It was a personal flight under general aviation rules (Part 91). 2 people were killed. The weather was conditions the NTSB did not record.
The NTSB's probable cause their words, unchanged
FAILURE OF THE PILOT TO MAINTAIN SUFFICIENT ALTITUDE TO ENSURE TERRAIN CLEARANCE WHILE MOUNTAIN FLYING.
Source: NTSB aviation accident database, copy made October 5, 2026. Docket and reports at the NTSB.
What the record shows
- Date
- April 17, 1988 · about 5:45 pm local time
- Place
- Essex, California · map
- Type
- Accident
- Injuries
- 2 people were killed.
- Weather
- conditions the NTSB did not record
- Aircraft
- Piper PA-28-140 · all PA-28-140s on the register
- Registration
- N1681J · no longer on the register · serial 28 24082
- Damage
- Destroyed
- Flight
- Personal flight · general aviation rules (Part 91)
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
THE PILOT DEPARTED ON A RETURN LEG CROSS COUNTRY FLIGHT. THE FLIGHT PATH WAS INTO STEEPLY RISING TERRAIN IN A BOX CANYON. THE WEATHER CONDITIONS WERE CONDUCIVE FOR MOUNTAIN WAVES WITH HEAVY DOWNDRAFTS ON THE LEE SIDE OF MOUNTAINS. THE AIRCRAFT WRECAKGE WAS FOUND ON THE LEE SIDE OF A 7,000 FT RIDGE. NO MECHANICAL MALFUNCTIONS WERE 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: private
- Ratings: single-engine land
- Flight time: 260 hours in all; 240 in this make and model; 48 in the last 90 days; 15 in the last 30 days; 163 as pilot in command
- Medical certificate: Class 3 (valid medical--no waivers/lim.)
- Seat: left
The aircraft
- Airframe total time: 2,290 hours
- Last inspection: annual inspection, December 9, 1987; 71 hours since
- Maximum gross weight: 2,050 lb
- Seats: 4
- Landing gear: fixed
- Engine: Lycoming O-320-E2A (piston); 0 hours total
- Fire on the ground
The flight
- Departed from: P06 Bullhead City AZ
- Destination: WHP Pacoima CA
- Flight plan: VFR
- Runway 0
- A second pilot was aboard
Weather at the time
- Light: daylight
- Wind: from 260° at 23 knots, gusting 20
- Visibility: 30 statute miles
- Sky: broken clouds at 8,000 ft; not recorded
- Temperature: 66°F (19°C), dew point 46°F (8°C)
- Altimeter: 29.00 inHg
- Observation at 5:49 pm from EED, 40 miles away
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.