Piper PA-28-161 accident near Placerville, California, July 30, 1988
On July 30, 1988 at about 10:00 pm local time, a Piper PA-28-161, registered N8414A, was substantially damaged in an accident near Placerville, California (Placerville airport). It was a personal flight under general aviation rules (Part 91). No one was hurt; 4 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
- July 30, 1988 · about 10:00 pm local time
- Place
- Placerville, California · Placerville · map
- Type
- Accident
- Injuries
- No one was hurt; 4 people were on board or involved.
- Weather
- visual conditions (good weather)
- Aircraft
- Piper PA-28-161 · all PA-28-161s on the register
- Registration
- N8414A · registry record · serial 28 8116267
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Personal flight · general aviation rules (Part 91)
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
THE PLT INITIATED A TOUCH & GO LANDING IN AN ACFT THAT WAS LOADED NEAR ITS MAX CERTIFICATED GROSS WEIGHT. HE LANDED SLIGHTLY LONG & APPLIED POWER FOR TAKEOFF. HOWEVER, HE STATED THAT THE ENG SPUTTERED & THE ACFT CONTD TO DECELERATE, SO HE REJECTED THE TAKEOFF. SUBSEQUENTLY, THE ACFT OVERRAN THE DEPARTURE END OF THE RWY & HIT A DITCH BEFORE STOPPING. THE TEMP WAS 104 DEG & THE DENSITY ALT WAS NEARLY 6000'. NO PRE-ACDNT PART FAILURE OR MALFUNCTION WAS FOUND.
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: 198 hours in all; 21 in this make and model; 28 in the last 90 days; 17 in the last 30 days; 122 as pilot in command
- Medical certificate: Class 3 (valid medical--w/ waivers/lim.)
- Seat: left
The aircraft
- Last inspection: 100-hour inspection, July 1, 1988
- Maximum gross weight: 2,325 lb
- Seats: 4
- Landing gear: fixed
- Engine: Lycoming O-320-D3G (piston); 0 hours total
- Operator: Genes Aviation
The flight
- Departed from: 61Q Placerville CA at 9:30 pm
- Destination: PVF
- Flight plan: none
- Runway 23, 4,200 ft by 75 ft
Weather at the time
- Light: daylight
- Visibility: 30 statute miles
- Sky: clear
- Temperature: 104°F (40°C), dew point 0°F (-18°C)
Injuries
| Fatal | Serious | Minor | None | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Crew | 1 | |||
| Passengers | 3 |
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.