Piper PA-28-180 accident near Wrightwood, California, December 31, 1988
On December 31, 1988 at about 9:00 pm local time, a Piper PA-28-180, registered N5369L, was substantially damaged in an accident near Wrightwood, California. It was a personal flight under general aviation rules (Part 91). 2 people were killed and 1 person was seriously injured. The weather was instrument conditions (cloud, fog or low visibility).
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
- December 31, 1988 · about 9:00 pm local time
- Place
- Wrightwood, California · map
- Type
- Accident
- Injuries
- 2 people were killed and 1 person was seriously injured.
- Weather
- instrument conditions (cloud, fog or low visibility)
- Aircraft
- Piper PA-28-180 · all PA-28-180s on the register
- Registration
- N5369L · no longer on the register · serial 28-4675
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Personal flight · general aviation rules (Part 91)
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
ACCORDING TO THE PASSENGER, DURING A CROSS COUNTRY FLIGHT THE AIRPLANE ENCOUNTERED INSTRUMENT METEOROLOGICAL CONDITIONS. THE PILOT FLEW THE AIRPLANE TOWARD A MOUNTAIN RANGE AND ENTERED A VALLEY WITH RISING TERRAIN. STILL IN IMC, JUST PRIOR TO THE ACCIDENT, THE PASSENGER REPORTED, THE PILOT SAW THE TERRAIN AND BEGAN A LEFT TURN. THE AIRPLANE COLLIDED WITH THE TERRAIN DURING THE MANEUVER. THERE WERE NO MECHANICAL FAILURES OR MALFUNCTIONS NOTED DURING THE POST CRASH INVESTIGATION.
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: multi-engine land; single-engine land; instrument: airplane
- Flight time: 700 hours in all; 595 as pilot in command
- Medical certificate: Class 2 (valid medical--no waivers/lim.)
- Seat: left
The aircraft
- Airframe total time: 3,091 hours
- Last inspection: annual inspection, November 4, 1988; 7 hours since
- Maximum gross weight: 2,175 lb
- Seats: 4
- Landing gear: fixed
- Engine: Lycoming O-360-A4A (piston); 0 hours total
The flight
- Departed from: SBA Santa Barbara CA at 8:00 pm
- Flight plan: none
- Runway 0
Weather at the time
- Light: daylight
- Visibility: 7 statute miles
- Sky: overcast at 5,000 ft; scat at 2,000 ft
- Temperature: 46°F (8°C), dew point 45°F (7°C)
- Altimeter: 30.00 inHg
- Observation at 8:45 pm from ONT, 15 miles away
Injuries
| Fatal | Serious | Minor | None | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Crew | 1 | |||
| Passengers | 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.