Piper PA-28-140 accident near Big Bear, California, September 18, 1988
On September 18, 1988 at about 8:42 pm local time, a Piper PA-28-140, registered N55478, was destroyed in an accident near Big Bear, California (Big Bear City airport). It was a personal flight under general aviation rules (Part 91). 2 people were killed and 1 person was seriously injured. The weather was visual conditions (good weather).
The NTSB's probable cause their words, unchanged
THE PILOT FAILED TO MAINTAIN AIRSPEED DURING TAKEOFF. CONTRIBUTING FACTORS RELATED TO THE HIGH DENSITY ALTITUDE CONDITION, THE AIRCRAFT'S EXCESSIVE WEIGHT AND THE PILOT'S FAILURE TO LEAN THE MIXTURE. ALSO CONTRIBUTING TO THE ACCIDENT WAS THE PILOT'S IMPROPER REMEDIAL ACTION TO AFFECT RECOVERY FROM THE DEVELOPING STALL, HIS POOR JUDGEMENT, HIS LACK OF EXPERIENCE IN THE AIRPLANE, AND HIS IMPAIRED PHYSIOLOGICAL CONDITION AS IT RELATED TO HIS LACK OF SLEEP AND DRUG USE.
Source: NTSB aviation accident database, copy made October 5, 2026. Docket and reports at the NTSB.
What the record shows
- Date
- September 18, 1988 · about 8:42 pm local time
- Place
- Big Bear, California · Big Bear City · map
- Type
- Accident
- Injuries
- 2 people were killed and 1 person was seriously injured.
- Weather
- visual conditions (good weather)
- Aircraft
- Piper PA-28-140 · all PA-28-140s on the register
- Registration
- N55478 · no longer on the register · serial 28-7325412
- Damage
- Destroyed
- Flight
- Personal flight · general aviation rules (Part 91)
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
THE NIGHT BEFORE THE ACCIDENT THE PLT & 2 PAX WENT GAMBLING. THEY RETIRED FOR THE EVENING (MORNING) BETWEEN 0315 & 0400. THEY AWOKE AT ABOUT 0830. AT 1007 THEY FLEW FM BULLHEAD, AZ TO BIG BEAR, CA. WHEN THE PLT ATTEMPTED TO DEPART FM THE BIG BEAR ARPT HE LEFT THE MIXTURE CONTROL IN THE FULL RICH POSITION. AS THE ACFT TRANSITIONED OUT OF GROUND EFFECT IT STALLED. THE PLT HELD THE YOKE AFT AS THE ACFT ENTERED AN UNCONTROLLED DESCENT & CRASHED 1880 FT BEYOND THE RUNWAY'S END. THE FRONT RIGHT SEATED PAX VIDEO TAPED THE ACCIDENT FLIGHT. THE 93-HR TOTAL TIME PLT HAD 33-HRS IN MAKE & MODEL ACFT. NO EVIDENCE WAS FOUND OF HIM HAVING RECEIVED DUAL INSTRUCTION IN HIGH DENSITY ALTITUDE TAKEOFFS. THE DA WAS IN EXCESS OF 8500 FT. THE ACFT'S CERTIFICATED MAX GROSS WEIGHT WAS EXCEEDED. A BOX CONTAINING MARIJUANA WAS FOUND IN THE ACFT WRECKAGE. TOX RESULTS CONFIRMED MARIJUANA IN THE PLT'S BLOOD & IN THE CAMERMAN/PAX'S URINE.
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: 93 hours in all; 56 in this make and model; 6 in the last 90 days; 5 in the last 30 days; 50 as pilot in command
- Medical certificate: Class 3 (valid medical--w/ waivers/lim.)
- Seat: left
The aircraft
- Airframe total time: 3,939 hours
- Last inspection: annual inspection, August 16, 1988; 73 hours since
- Maximum gross weight: 2,150 lb
- Seats: 4
- Landing gear: fixed
- Engine: Lycoming O-320-E3D (piston); 0 hours total
- Operator: Cal State Flying Club
The flight
- Departed from: L35 Big Bear CA at 8:41 pm
- Destination: LGB Long Beach CA
- Flight plan: none
- Runway 7, 5,850 ft by 75 ft
Weather at the time
- Light: daylight
- Wind: from 050° at 10 knots, gusting 15
- Visibility: 50 statute miles
- Sky: clear
- Temperature: 66°F (19°C), dew point 0°F (-18°C)
- Altimeter: 30.00 inHg
Injuries
| Fatal | Serious | Minor | None | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Crew | 1 | |||
| Passengers | 2 |
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.