Piper PA-24-260 accident near Julian, California, February 12, 1989
On February 12, 1989 at about 11:43 pm local time, a Piper PA-24-260, registered N9240P, was destroyed in an accident near Julian, California. It was a personal flight under general aviation rules (Part 91). 3 people were killed. The weather was instrument conditions (cloud, fog or low visibility).
The NTSB's probable cause their words, unchanged
THE PILOT'S POOR JUDGEMENT OF INTENTIONALLY FLYING INTO AN AREA OF KNOWN FORECAST ICING CONDITIONS WHICH RESULTED IN A LOSS OF CONTROL AND AN INFLIGHT BREAKUP OF THE AIRCRAFT. CONTRIBUTING FACTORS WERE THE PILOT'S OVERCONFIDENCE IN HIS PERSONAL ABILITY BY ATTEMPTING FLIGHT INTO INSTRUMENT METEOROLOGICAL CONDITIONS, AND THE ADVERSE WEATHER CONDITIONS.
Source: NTSB aviation accident database, copy made October 5, 2026. Docket and reports at the NTSB.
What the record shows
- Date
- February 12, 1989 · about 11:43 pm local time
- Place
- Julian, California · map
- Type
- Accident
- Injuries
- 3 people were killed.
- Weather
- instrument conditions (cloud, fog or low visibility)
- Aircraft
- Piper PA-24-260 · all PA-24-260s on the register
- Registration
- N9240P · registry record · serial 24-4739
- Damage
- Destroyed
- Flight
- Personal flight · general aviation rules (Part 91)
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
THE NON-INSTRUMENT RATED PILOT FIRST FILED AN IFR FLIGHT PLAN BEFORE OBTAINING A WEATHER BRIEFING. LIGHT TO MODERATE RIME ICING WAS FORECAST FROM 5,000 TO 16,000 FT. AT 1541 THE ARTCC CONTROLLER NOTICED THE MODE C ALTITUDE REPORT WAS 1,300 FT LOWER THAN THE ASSIGNED ALTITUDE OF 10,000 FT, AND DESCENDING. THE PILOT RESPONDED TO THE CONTROLLER'S INQUIRY THAT 'I CANNOT MAINTAIN ALTITUDE'. AT 1543 RADIO AND RADAR CONTACT WAS LOST. AN AIRLINE FLIGHT REPORTED PICKING UP MODERATE RIME ICE WHILE FLYING IN THE AREA OF THE ACCIDENT SITE. A GROUND WITNESS REPORTED THAT AT THE TIME OF THE ACCIDENT A THUNDERSTORM WAS OVERHEAD, ACCOMPANIED BY LIGHTNING, THUNDER, HAIL, AND MODERATE SNOW AND RAIN SHOWERS. THE WITNESS ALSO HEARD A LOUD 'WINDING UP ENGINE SOUND FOLLOWED BY A LARGE BANG'. THE LAST PITOT STATIC SYSTEM TEST AND CALIBRATION WAS RECORDED ON 7/8/86. THE PILOT HAD RECEIVED ABOUT 44 HRS DUAL INSTRUMENT TRAINING DURING THE FIRST 6 MONTHS OF 1986.
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: 620 hours in all; 480 in this make and model; 45 in the last 90 days; 12 in the last 30 days; 581 as pilot in command
- Medical certificate: Class 3 (valid medical--w/ waivers/lim.)
- Seat: left
The aircraft
- Airframe total time: 2,879 hours
- Last inspection: annual inspection, September 5, 1987; 150 hours since
- Maximum gross weight: 3,100 lb
- Seats: 4
- Landing gear: retractable
- Engine: Lycoming IO-540-D4A5 (piston); 0 hours total
- Fire on the ground
The flight
- Departed from: PSP Palm Springs CA at 11:02 pm
- Destination: MYF San Diego CA
- Flight plan: IFR
- Runway 0
Weather at the time
- Light: daylight
- Wind: from 290° at 8 knots
- Visibility: 15 statute miles
- Sky: broken clouds at 6,000 ft; clear
- Temperature: 57°F (14°C), dew point 34°F (1°C)
- Altimeter: 29.00 inHg
- Observation at 11:59 pm from TRM, 36 miles away
Injuries
| Fatal | Serious | Minor | None | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Crew | 1 | |||
| Passengers | 2 |
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.