Piper PA-28-180 accident near San Bernardino, California, January 5, 1989
On January 5, 1989 at about 6:15 pm local time, a Piper PA-28-180, registered N5157L, was destroyed in an accident near San Bernardino, California. It was a personal flight under general aviation rules (Part 91). 1 person was killed. The weather was instrument conditions (cloud, fog or low visibility).
The NTSB's probable cause their words, unchanged
THE PILOT'S DECISION TO CONTINUE VFR FLIGHT AFTER ENCOUNTERING INSTRUMENT METEOROLOGICAL CONDITIONS WHILE ATTEMPTING TO TRANSIT THROUGH A MOUNTAIN PASS. CONTRIBUTING FACTORS WAS: THE PILOT'S SELF-INDUCED PRESSURE KNOWING THAT A CO-WORKER WAS PROBABLY WAITING FOR HIM AT THE DESTINATION AIRPORT; OVER CONFIDENCE IN PERSONAL ABILITY AFTER HAVING RECENTLY RECEIVED INSTRUMENT DUAL INSTRUCTION; AND THE ADVERSE WEATHER AND TERRAIN CONDITIONS.
Source: NTSB aviation accident database, copy made October 5, 2026. Docket and reports at the NTSB.
What the record shows
- Date
- January 5, 1989 · about 6:15 pm local time
- Place
- San Bernardino, California · map
- Type
- Accident
- Injuries
- 1 person was killed.
- Weather
- instrument conditions (cloud, fog or low visibility)
- Aircraft
- Piper PA-28-180 · all PA-28-180s on the register
- Registration
- N5157L · no longer on the register · serial 28-4442
- Damage
- Destroyed
- Flight
- Personal flight · general aviation rules (Part 91)
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
ACCIDENT SITE IN PASS AT AN ELEVATION 3,200 FT MSL, 1/2 MILE FROM INTERSTATE HIGHWAY. 10,000 FT MOUNTAINS BOTH SIDES. SHERIFF'S HELO PILOTS FLYING PATROL BEFORE, DURING, AND AFTER THE ACCIDENT TIME FRAME REPORTED RAPIDLY FORMING AND DISSIPATING STRATUS CLOUDS WHICH OBSCURED THE HILL SIDES AND FLOOR OF THE PASS. THE PILOT HAD ARRANGED FOR A COWORKER TO PICK HIM UP AT THE DESTINATION AIRPORT. THE PILOT HAD RECENTLY OBTAINED 13 HOURS OF INSTRUMENT DUAL INSTRUCTION.
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: 409 hours in all; 332 in this make and model; 36 in the last 90 days; 30 in the last 30 days; 351 as pilot in command
- Medical certificate: Class 3 (valid medical--w/ waivers/lim.)
- Seat: left
The aircraft
- Airframe total time: 2,014 hours
- Last inspection: annual inspection, November 8, 1988; 34 hours since
- Maximum gross weight: 2,400 lb
- Seats: 4
- Landing gear: fixed
- Engine: Lycoming O-360-A4A (piston); 0 hours total
The flight
- Departed from: P06 Bullhead City AZ at 3:30 pm
- Destination: L67 Rialto CA
- Flight plan: none
- Runway 0
Weather at the time
- Light: daylight
- Wind: from 120° at 2 knots
- Visibility: 7 statute miles
- Sky: broken clouds at 8,000 ft; scat at 4,500 ft
- Temperature: 54°F (12°C), dew point 46°F (8°C)
- Altimeter: 30.00 inHg
- Observation at 6:55 pm from RIV, 14 miles away
Injuries
| Fatal | Serious | Minor | None | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Crew | 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.