Piper PA-28-140 accident near Guatay, California, May 7, 1988
On May 7, 1988 at about 2:45 pm local time, a Piper PA-28-140, registered N4367J, was destroyed in an accident near Guatay, California. It was a personal flight under general aviation rules (Part 91). 2 people were killed. The weather was instrument conditions (cloud, fog or low visibility).
The NTSB's probable cause their words, unchanged
FAILURE OF THE PILOT TO MAINTIAN VFR WHILE FLYING IN MOUNTAINOUS TERRAIN.
Source: NTSB aviation accident database, copy made October 5, 2026. Docket and reports at the NTSB.
What the record shows
- Date
- May 7, 1988 · about 2:45 pm local time
- Place
- Guatay, California
- Type
- Accident
- Injuries
- 2 people were killed.
- Weather
- instrument conditions (cloud, fog or low visibility)
- Aircraft
- Piper PA-28-140 · all PA-28-140s on the register
- Registration
- N4367J · no longer on the register · serial 2822746
- Damage
- Destroyed
- Flight
- Personal flight · general aviation rules (Part 91)
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
THE PILOT RECEIVED A WEATHER BRIEFING THE NIGHT PRIOR TO PLANNED FLIGHT FROM LOCAL FSS. THE FSS SPECIALIST INFORMED THE PILOT OF MARGINAL VFR CONDITIONS AND FORECAST MODERATE TURBULENCE. THE PLT STATED HE WOULD CHECK THE WEATHER IN THE MORNING. THE NEXT DAY THE PILOT CHECKED WX AGAIN WITH THE FSS. THE SPECIALIST INFORMED THE PILOT HE DID NOT HAVE CURRENT LOCAL WX AND PRECEEDED TO GIVE PILOT 24 HR OUTLOOK. TURBULENCE WAS STILL FORECAST. THE PILOT DID NOT ATTEMPT TO CHECK LOCAL WX CONDITIONS PRIOR TO FLIGHT THREE HRS LATER. WITNESSES OBSERVED ACFT AT 200 FEET AGL IN AND OUT OF RAGGED BOTTOM OF OVERCAST IN MOUNTAINOUS TERRAIN. ACFT CRASHED IN LEVEL ATTITUDE NORTH OF COURSE HEADING ABOUT 90 DEG AWAY FROM COURSE AT 4,700 FOOT LEVEL OF A 5,054 FOOT MSL MOUNTAIN PEAK.
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: 299 hours in all; 299 in this make and model; 8 in the last 90 days; 2 in the last 30 days; 267 as pilot in command
- Medical certificate: Class 3 (valid medical--w/ waivers/lim.)
- Seat: left
The aircraft
- Airframe total time: 4,538 hours
- Last inspection: annual inspection, December 8, 1987; 17 hours since
- Maximum gross weight: 2,150 lb
- Seats: 4
- Landing gear: retractable
- Engine: Lycoming O-320-E20 (piston); 0 hours total
- Fire on the ground
The flight
- Departed from: SEE El Cajon CA at 2:14 pm
- Destination: E14 Avra Valley AZ
- Flight plan: none
- Runway 0
Weather at the time
- Light: daylight
- Visibility: 15 statute miles
- Sky: broken clouds at 5,000 ft; scat at 3,000 ft
- Temperature: 54°F (12°C), dew point 0°F (-18°C)
- Altimeter: 30.00 inHg
- Observation at 2:46 pm from SEE, 26 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.