Piper PA-34-200T accident near Corona, California, June 7, 1988
On June 7, 1988 at about 8:30 pm local time, a Piper PA-34-200T, registered N2710M, was substantially damaged in an accident near Corona, California (Corona airport). It was an instructional flight under general aviation rules (Part 91). No one was hurt; 2 people were on board or involved. 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
- June 7, 1988 · about 8:30 pm local time
- Place
- Corona, California · Corona
- Type
- Accident
- Injuries
- No one was hurt; 2 people were on board or involved.
- Weather
- visual conditions (good weather)
- Aircraft
- Piper PA-34-200T · all PA-34-200Ts on the register
- Registration
- N2710M · no longer on the register · serial 347870091
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Instructional flight · general aviation rules (Part 91)
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
COMPANY MAINTENANCE PERSONNEL HAD REPLACED THE NOSE LANDING GEAR ASSY AND HAD CONDUCTED RETRACTION TESTS PRIOR TO RELEASING THE ACFT FOR FLT. AFTER TAKEOFF THE LNDG GEAR WAS RETRACTED AND THE FLT WAS CONDUCTED WITHOUT INCIDENT UNTIL, UPON ENTERING THE TRAFFIC PATTERN FOR LANDING, THE NOSE GEAR FAILED TO EXTEND. THE INSTRUCTOR PILOT ELECTED TO LAND WITH THE MAIN LANDING GEARS ONLY EXTENDED. THE LEFT ENGINE AND PROPELLER WERE SECURED WHILE ON FINAL APPROACH FOR THE LANDING. THE ACFT TOUCHED DOWN ON THE MAIN LANDING GEARS. AS THE ACFT SLOWED DURING THE LNDG ROLL THE NOSE PITCHED DOWN AND THE RIGHT PROPELLER IMPACTED THE GROUND. THE PROPELLER SEPARATED FROM THE ACFT ON GROUND IMPACT AND STRUCK THE RIGHT MAIN LANDING GEAR. THE RIGHT LANDING GEAR WAS SEVERED FROM THE ACFT AND THE ACFT SLID TO A STOP.
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: flight instructor, commercial pilot
- Ratings: multi-engine land; single-engine land; instructor: airplane multi-engine; instructor: airplane single-engine; instrument: airplane
- Flight time: 1,550 hours in all; 35 in this make and model; 250 in the last 90 days; 80 in the last 30 days; 1,450 as pilot in command; 850 on instruments
- Medical certificate: Class 1 (valid medical--no waivers/lim.)
- Seat: rgt
The aircraft
- Airframe total time: 989 hours
- Last inspection: annual inspection; 52 hours since
- Maximum gross weight: 4,500 lb
- Seats: 7
- Landing gear: retractable
- Engine: Continental TSI0-360E (piston); 0 hours total
- Operator: Z-Air INC.
The flight
- Departed from: L66 Corona CA at 8:20 pm
- Flight plan: none
- Runway 25, 3,200 ft
- A second pilot was aboard
Weather at the time
- Light: daylight
- Wind: from 210° at 7 knots
- Visibility: 13 statute miles
- Sky: clear
- Temperature: 0°F (-18°C), dew point 0°F (-18°C)
- Observation at 1:50 pm from CNO, 5 miles away
Injuries
| Fatal | Serious | Minor | None | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Crew | 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.