Piper PA-28R-200 accident near Anaheim, California, November 3, 1988
On November 3, 1988 at about 9:14 pm local time, a Piper PA-28R-200, registered N9467N, was substantially damaged in an accident near Anaheim, California. It was an instructional 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
- November 3, 1988 · about 9:14 pm local time
- Place
- Anaheim, California · map
- Type
- Accident
- Injuries
- 1 person was killed and 1 person was seriously injured.
- Weather
- visual conditions (good weather)
- Aircraft
- Piper PA-28R-200 · all PA-28R-200s on the register
- Registration
- N9467N · no longer on the register · serial 28R-35183
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Instructional flight · general aviation rules (Part 91)
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
FIVE MINUTES AFTER DEPARTURE AND DURING NORMAL CRUISE FLIGHT, THE CERTIFIED FLIGHT INSTRUCTOR NOTICED A PROP OVERSPEED. HE IMMEDIATELY PULLED BACK ON THE PROP CONTROL TO REDUCE ENGINE R.P.M. AND INSTRUCTED THE STUDENT, A PRIVATE PILOT, TO DIVERT TO THE AIRPLANE'S HOME BASE. TWO MINUTES AFTER THE OVERSPEED THE ENGINE 'SPUTTERED' FOR 5 SECONDS AND SEIZED. THE INSTRUCTOR TOOK CONTROL OF THE AIRPLANE AND EXECUTED A FORCED LANDING ON A HILLSIDE. THE AIRPLANE BRUSHED SMALL BRANCHES AT THE TOP OF A TREE AND COLLIDED WITH THE TERRAIN. THE PILOT STATED THAT HE 'USED ALL THE AIRSPEED TO REACH A SUITABLE LANDING SPOT', AND COULD NOT FLARE THE AIRPLANE TO CUSHION THE LANDING. AN EXAMINATION OF THE ENGINE REVEALED EVIDENCE OF AN OIL EXHAUSTION. THE OIL QUICK DRAIN WAS FOUND TO BE IN THE OPEN AND LOCKED POSITION. AN EXAMINATION OF RECORDS REVEALED THAT THE DRAIN WAS THE INCORRECT PART. THERE WAS AN AD CONCERNING THE INCORRECT OIL DRAIN BEING OPENED BY CONTACT WITH THE LNDG GEAR DURING RETRACTION.
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 single-engine; instructor: instrument airplane; instrument: airplane
- Flight time: 1,300 hours in all; 50 in this make and model; 212 in the last 90 days; 62 in the last 30 days; 1,200 as pilot in command
- Medical certificate: Class 1 (valid medical--no waivers/lim.)
- Seat: rgt
The aircraft
- Airframe total time: 6,025 hours
- Last inspection: 100-hour inspection, July 6, 1988; 51 hours since
- Maximum gross weight: 2,900 lb
- Seats: 4
- Landing gear: retractable
- Engine: Lycoming IO-360-C1C (piston); 0 hours total
The flight
- Departed from: CNO Chino CA at 8:45 pm
- Destination: SNA Santa Ana CA
- Flight plan: VFR
- Runway 0
- A second pilot was aboard
Weather at the time
- Light: daylight
- Wind: from 260° at 7 knots
- Visibility: 6 statute miles
- Sky: clear
- Temperature: 70°F (21°C), dew point 52°F (11°C)
- Altimeter: 29.00 inHg
- Observation at 9:45 pm from SNA, 13 miles away
Injuries
| Fatal | Serious | Minor | None | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Crew | 1 | 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.