Piper PA-31-350 accident near Hayward, California, April 27, 1988
On April 27, 1988 at about 7:14 am local time, a Piper PA-31-350, registered N3588Y, was destroyed in an accident near Hayward, California (Hayward Air Term. airport). It was a flight of an unrecorded kind under charter and air-taxi rules (Part 135). 1 person was seriously injured. The weather was visual conditions (good weather).
The NTSB's probable cause their words, unchanged
PILOT'S FAILURE TO DETECT AN UNCOMMANDED PROPELLER FEATHERING PROCEDURES ESTABLISHED IN THE PILOT'S OPERATING HANDBOOK.
Source: NTSB aviation accident database, copy made October 5, 2026. Docket and reports at the NTSB.
What the record shows
- Date
- April 27, 1988 · about 7:14 am local time
- Place
- Hayward, California · Hayward Air Term. · map
- Type
- Accident
- Injuries
- 1 person was seriously injured.
- Weather
- visual conditions (good weather)
- Aircraft
- Piper PA-31-350 · all PA-31-350s on the register
- Registration
- N3588Y · no longer on the register · serial 318052129
- Damage
- Destroyed
- Flight
- Flight of an unrecorded kind · charter and air-taxi rules (Part 135)
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
UPON ARRIVING AT HIS DESTINATION THE PILOT BEGAN A VISUAL, NIGHT DESCENT TO HIS DESTINATION AIRPORT. AS THE AIRCRAFT DESCENDED THE PILOT REDUCED THE AIRSPEED AND DEPLOYED FLAPS. AS THE AIRCRAFT NEARED THE AIRPORT THE PILOT INCREASED THE FLAP ANGLE AND ADJUSTED THE PROPELLERS TO THE LANDING RPM AND THE AIRSPEED DECREASED. THE PILOT STATED THAT AT THIS TIME HE HEARD A NOISE THAT SOUNDED LIKE A FLUTTER WHICH HE THOUGHT WAS EMANATING FROM THE RIGHT ENGINE. FULL THROTTLE WAS APPLIED, BUT THE AIRSPEED CONTINUED TO DECREASE AND THE PILOT ELECTED TO LAND ON A FREEWAY. THE AIRCRAFT COLLIDED WITH A MOTOR VEHICLE ON TOUCHDOWN AND SLID TO A STOP. POST CRASH EXAM REVEALED THE RPM CONTROL LEVERS AND BELLRANKS TO BE IN THE HIGH RPM SETTINGS. THE LEFT PROP WAS FOUND IN THE FEATHERED POSITION.
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, commercial pilot
- Ratings: multi-engine land; single-engine land; instrument: airplane; rotorcraft: helicopter
- Flight time: 5,557 hours in all; 30 in this make and model; 25 in the last 90 days
- Medical certificate: Class 2 (valid medical--no waivers/lim.)
- Seat: left
The aircraft
- Airframe total time: 3,355 hours
- Last inspection: annual inspection, April 22, 1988; 3 hours since
- Maximum gross weight: 7,000 lb
- Seats: 2
- Landing gear: retractable
- Engine: Lycoming TSIO-540-J2BD (piston); 0 hours total
- Fire on the ground
The flight
- Departed from: CCB Upland CA at 5:35 am
- Destination: HWD Hayward CA
- Flight plan: VFR
- Runway 28, 5,024 ft by 150 ft
Weather at the time
- Light: night, dark
- Wind: from 260° at 6 knots
- Visibility: 10 statute miles
- Sky: scat at 20,000 ft
- Temperature: 63°F (17°C), dew point 57°F (14°C)
- Altimeter: 29.00 inHg
- Observation at 6:45 am from OAK, 7 miles away
Injuries
| Fatal | Serious | Minor | None | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Crew | 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.