Piper PA-28-161 accident near Yucca, Arizona, December 25, 1988
On December 25, 1988 at about 6:20 am local time, a Piper PA-28-161, registered N9276M, was destroyed in an accident near Yucca, Arizona. It was a personal flight under general aviation rules (Part 91). 2 people were killed. The weather was conditions the NTSB did not record.
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The NTSB's probable cause their words, unchanged
PILOT'S FAILURE TO MAINTAIN DIRECTIONAL CONTROL. CONTRIBUTING FACTORS INCLUDED THE PILOT'S IMPROPER IN-FLIGHT DECISION WHICH WAS RELATED TO HIS OVERCONFIDENCE IN HIS PERSONAL ABILITY, SPATIAL DISORIENTATION UPON ENCOUNTERING INCLEMENT WEATHER DURING THE NIGHTTIME FLIGHT, AND HIS TOTAL LACK OF FLIGHT EXPERIENCE.
Source: NTSB aviation accident database, copy made October 4, 2026. Docket and reports at the NTSB.
What the record shows
- Date
- December 25, 1988 · about 6:20 am local time
- Place
- Yucca, Arizona · map
- Type
- Accident
- Injuries
- 2 people were killed.
- Weather
- conditions the NTSB did not record
- Aircraft
- Piper PA-28-161 · all PA-28-161s on the register
- Registration
- N9276M · registry record · serial 28-8616037
- Damage
- Destroyed
- Flight
- Personal flight · general aviation rules (Part 91)
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
THE NON-INSTRUMENT RATED RECENTLY CERTIFICATED PRIVATE PILOT DEPARTED BULLHEAD ON CHRISTMAS EVE FOR A NIGHTTIME FLIGHT TO PHOENIX SO HIS PASSENGER COULD CONNECT WITH AN 0800 AIRLINE FLIGHT HOME. THE PILOT TOOK OFF AND NAVIGATED TO THE SE FOR 23 NM. AWAY FROM ALL CITY LIGHTS AND OVER DESERT TERRAIN HE BECAME SPATIALLY DISORIENTED AND LOST CONTROL OF THE ACFT. THE ACFT DESCENDED AT A HIGH RATE OF SPEED & COLLIDED WITH TERRAIN WHILE IN AT LEAST A 60 DEGREE BANK. THERE WERE NO WITNESSES TO THE CRASH. PERSONS LOCATED 6 MI E OF THE CRASH SITE REPORTED IT WAS FOGGY, THE VISIBILITY WAS 2 MI AND THERE WAS LIGHT RAIN AT THE TIME OF THE ACCIDENT.
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
What happened, in order
- IN FLIGHT ENCOUNTER WITH WEATHER during cruise
- LOSS OF CONTROL - IN FLIGHT during cruise
- IN FLIGHT COLLISION WITH TERRAIN/WATER during descent - uncontrolled
Pilot
- Ratings: single-engine land, none, none, none
- Flight time: 108 hours in all; 49 as pilot in command
- Medical certificate: class 3
The aircraft
- Last inspection: 100-hour inspection, July 18, 1988
- Maximum gross weight: 2,440 lb
- Seats: 4
- Landing gear: fixed
- Engine: Lycoming O-320-D3G (piston); 0 hours total
- Operator: Deer Valley Aviation, INC.
- Operating certificate: in the vicinity
The flight
- Departed from: P06 Bullhead AZ at 5:45 am
- Destination: SDL Scottsdale AZ
- Flight plan: none
- Runway 0
Weather at the time
- Light: night, dark
- Wind: from 135° at 9 knots, gusting 14
- Visibility: 2 statute miles
- Sky: overcast; not recorded
- Temperature: 55°C, dew point 28°C
Injuries
| Fatal | Serious | Minor | None | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Crew | 1 | |||
| Passengers | 1 |
About this page
Everything above comes from the NTSB's public accident database: the narrative, probable cause and findings are the NTSB's own words, and the coded tables behind its report (pilot, aircraft, flight, weather, injuries, sequence of events) are written out in plain English. Pilots' ages, home towns and medical details are left out on purpose. The docket at the NTSB holds the report as a PDF and the investigation's photographs and documents. This site never names pilots, passengers or anyone else involved. A preliminary report describes what is known soon after the event and can change; the final report, with the probable cause, usually follows one to two years later and this page is refreshed when it does. Case number LAX89FA074.