Piper PA-28-151 accident near Valley Center, California, March 28, 1988
On March 28, 1988 at about 9:20 pm local time, a Piper PA-28-151, registered N4376F, was destroyed in an accident near Valley Center, California (Blackington (Pvt) airport). It was a personal flight under general aviation rules (Part 91). 1 person was killed and 1 person was seriously injured. 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 28, 1988 · about 9:20 pm local time
- Place
- Valley Center, California · Blackington (Pvt) · map
- Type
- Accident
- Injuries
- 1 person was killed and 1 person was seriously injured.
- Weather
- visual conditions (good weather)
- Aircraft
- Piper PA-28-151 · all PA-28-151s on the register
- Registration
- N4376F · no longer on the register · serial 287715026
- Damage
- Destroyed
- Flight
- Personal flight · general aviation rules (Part 91)
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
WITNESSES OBSERVED THE ACFT ROTATE TO A HIGH PITCH ATTITUDE DURING THE INITIAL CLIMB AFTER TAKEOFF. THEY SAID THE ACFT THEN ENTERED A LEFT TURN & DESCENDED TO THE GROUND. IMPACT OCCURRED ON RISING TERRAIN, BEYOND A GULLY, ABOUT 200 FT EAST OF THE DEPARTURE END OF RWY 17. NO PREIMPACT PART FAILURE OR MALFUNCTION WAS FOUND DURING AN EXAM OF THE ACFT, THOUGH IT WAS EXTENSIVELY DAMAGED DURING IMPACT. THE PLT HAD RPRTD 2000 HRS OF FLT TIME DRG APPLICATION FOR A MEDICAL CERT ON 4/29/87. A DRUG SCREEN OF THE PLT'S URINE SHOWED THE PRESENCE OF MARIJUANA METABOLITES. A TOXICOLOGY CHECK OF HIS BLOOD SHOWED A CARBOXY-THC LEVEL OF 47 NG/ML. A PARTIALLY SMOKED MARIJUANA CIGARETTE, A MARIJUANA PIPE WITH FILTERS & SOME UNIDENTIFIED SEEDS WERE FOUND IN THE CABIN OF THE ACFT AFTER THE ACDNT.
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: student
- Ratings: single-engine land
- Flight time: 2,000 hours in all
- Medical certificate: Class 3 (valid medical--w/ waivers/lim.)
- Seat: left
The aircraft
- Airframe total time: 3,408 hours
- Last inspection: annual inspection, April 15, 1987; 307 hours since
- Maximum gross weight: 2,150 lb
- Seats: 4
- Landing gear: fixed
- Engine: Lycoming O-320-E3D (piston); 0 hours total
The flight
- Destination: L16 Huntington Bch CA
- Flight plan: none
- Runway 17, 2,200 ft
- A second pilot was aboard
Weather at the time
- Light: daylight
- Wind: from 290° at 12 knots
- Visibility: 7 statute miles
- Sky: clear
- Temperature: 72°F (22°C), dew point 57°F (14°C)
- Altimeter: 29.00 inHg
- Observation at 8:50 pm from SAN, 34 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.