Piper PA-60-601P accident near Newport Beach, California, March 31, 1989
On March 31, 1989 at about 4:35 pm local time, a Piper PA-60-601P, registered CGWPS, was destroyed in an accident near Newport Beach, California (John Wayne airport). It was a personal flight under general aviation rules (Part 91). 5 people were killed. The weather was visual conditions (good weather).
The NTSB's probable cause their words, unchanged
FAILURE OF THE PILOT TO ATTAIN ADEQUATE AIRSPEED BEFORE MANEUVERING (TURNING) BACK TOWARD THE AIRPORT, WHICH RESULTED IN A LOSS OF AIRCRAFT CONTROL. A FACTOR RELATED TO THE ACCIDENT WAS: IMPROPER MAINTENANCE/INSTALLATION OF A FUEL INJECTOR REFERENCE AIR LINE, WHICH ALLOWED CONTAMINATION OF THE INJECTORS AND LOSS OF POWER IN THE RIGHT ENGINE.
Source: NTSB aviation accident database, copy made October 5, 2026. Docket and reports at the NTSB.
What the record shows
- Date
- March 31, 1989 · about 4:35 pm local time
- Place
- Newport Beach, California · John Wayne · map
- Type
- Accident
- Injuries
- 5 people were killed.
- Weather
- visual conditions (good weather)
- Aircraft
- Piper PA-60-601P · all PA-60-601Ps on the register
- Registration
- CGWPS · no longer on the register · serial 61P-0522-219
- Damage
- Destroyed
- Flight
- Personal flight · general aviation rules (Part 91)
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
SVRL MECHANIC WITNESSES AT THE ARPT SAID THE RGT ENG BACKFIRED & TRAILED BLACK SMOKE DURING THE TAKEOFF GROUND ROLL. RPRTDLY, THE TAKEOFF ROLL WAS ABOUT 80% LONGER THAN NORMAL. WITNESSES SAID THE ACFT STAGGERED OFF THE GROUND, WAS SLOW & NEVER GOT ABOVE 100 FEET AGL. THE PLT RPRTD TO THE TOWER THAT THE FLT HAD TO COME BACK TO THE RWY. SHORTLY THEREAFTER, WITNESSES SAW THE ACFT ENTER A STEEP LEFT TURN, APPARENTLY STALL, THEN CRASH INTO SOME TENNIS COURTS. AN INVESTIGATION REVEALED EVIDENCE THAT THE RGT ENG HAD LOST POWER. A MODIFICATION KIT FOR THE FUEL INJECTOR REFERENCE AIR LINES WAS INCORRECTLY INSTALLED & ALLOWED AN UNFILTERED AIR SOURCE. SPECTRAL ANALYSIS OF RESIDUE (FROM THE RGT ENG TURBO CHARGER COMPRESSOR) REVEALED THAT IT HAD THE SAME COMPOSITION AS THE ALTERNATE AIR DOOR SEAL. TRACES OF THE MATERIAL WERE FOUND IN THE FUEL INJECTOR REFERENCE AIR LINE.
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: foreign licence, private
- Ratings: multi-engine land; single-engine land; instrument: airplane
- Flight time: 1,490 hours in all; 243 in this make and model; 75 in the last 90 days; 24 in the last 30 days; 1,440 as pilot in command
- Medical certificate: Class 3 (valid medical--no waivers/lim.)
- Seat: left
The aircraft
- Airframe total time: 1,908 hours
- Last inspection: inspection type not recorded, July 18, 1988; 204 hours since
- Maximum gross weight: 6,000 lb
- Seats: 6
- Landing gear: retractable
- Engine: Lycoming IO-540-S1A5 (piston); 0 hours total
- Fire on the ground
The flight
- Departed from: SNA at 4:30 pm
- Destination: PIH Pocatello ID
- Flight plan: IFR
- Runway 19R, 5,700 ft by 150 ft
Weather at the time
- Light: daylight
- Visibility: 4 statute miles
- Temperature: 70°F (21°C), dew point 55°F (13°C)
- Altimeter: 30.00 inHg
- Observation at 4:35 pm from SNA, 2 miles away
Injuries
| Fatal | Serious | Minor | None | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Crew | 1 | |||
| Passengers | 4 |
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.