Piper PA-28-181 accident near Dinsmore, California, May 24, 1989
On May 24, 1989 at about 9:40 pm local time, a Piper PA-28-181, registered N4527F, was destroyed in an accident near Dinsmore, California. It was a business flight under general aviation rules (Part 91). 4 people were killed. The weather was instrument conditions (cloud, fog or low visibility).
The NTSB's probable cause their words, unchanged
THE PILOT'S INTENTIONAL VFR FLIGHT INTO INSTRUMENT METEOROLOGICAL CONDITIONS, AND HIS FAILURE TO MAINTAIN ADEQUATE TERRAIN CLEARANCE. CONTRIBUTING FACTORS TO THE ACCIDENT WERE: THE PILOT'S FAILURE TO OBTAIN WEATHER INFORMATION, HIS OVERCONFIDENCE IN HIS ABILITY TO FLY IN MOUNTAINOUS TERRAIN IN THE EXISTING WEATHER CONDITIONS, THE URGENCY TO RETURN FOR OTHER PLANNED ACTIVITIES, THE EXISTING WEATHER CONDITIONS, AND THE MOUNTAINOUS TERRAIN CONDITION.
Source: NTSB aviation accident database, copy made October 5, 2026. Docket and reports at the NTSB.
What the record shows
- Date
- May 24, 1989 · about 9:40 pm local time
- Place
- Dinsmore, California · map
- Type
- Accident
- Injuries
- 4 people were killed.
- Weather
- instrument conditions (cloud, fog or low visibility)
- Aircraft
- Piper PA-28-181 · all PA-28-181s on the register
- Registration
- N4527F · no longer on the register · serial 28-7790041
- Damage
- Destroyed
- Flight
- Business flight · general aviation rules (Part 91)
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
THE PILOT HAD CONTACTED FSS EARLIER IN THE DAY AT 0640 AND REQUESTED ONLY CURRENT WX AT EUREKA FOR A ROUND-TRIP FLT FROM LAKEPORT TO EUREKA & RETURN. THE FLT DEPARTED EUREKA AT ABOUT 1415 FOR THE RETURN FLT. WITNESSES OBSERVED THE AIRPLANE FLYING VERY LOW IN MOUNTAINOUS TERRAIN; ONE WITNESS STATED '... HE CAME UP OUT OF THE FOG AT CLOSE TO TREETOP LEVEL ...' THE WX WAS DESCRIBED AS LOW CLOUDS, FOG, AND LIGHT RAIN. WRECKAGE WAS LOCATED IN RISING 4,900-FT MOUNTAINOUS TERRAIN. PILOT TYPICALLY FLEW NEAR HWY 101 EXCEPT DURING INCLEMENT WX WHEN HE WOULD DIVERT TO THE EAST & FLY VIA HWY 36. HE HAD A MOTOR VEHICLE PARKED AT RUTH AIRPORT FOR USE IN INSTANCES OF VERY POOR WX. PILOT HAD ANOTHER FLT SCHEDULED FOR 1500 AT LAKEPORT, AND WAS ALSO SCHEDULED TO TEACH SCHOOL AT 1800.
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: flight instructor, commercial pilot
- Ratings: multi-engine land; single-engine land; single-engine sea; instructor: airplane multi-engine; instructor: airplane single-engine; instructor: instrument airplane; instrument: airplane
- Flight time: 2,500 hours in all
- Medical certificate: Class 2 (valid medical--w/ waivers/lim.)
- Seat: left
The aircraft
- Last inspection: inspection type not recorded
- Maximum gross weight: 2,550 lb
- Seats: 4
- Landing gear: fixed
- Engine: Lycoming O-360-A4M (piston); 0 hours total
The flight
- Departed from: EKA Eureka CA at 9:15 pm
- Destination: 102 Lakeport CA
- Flight plan: none
- Runway 0
Weather at the time
- Light: daylight
- Wind: from 260° at 8 knots
- Visibility: 10 statute miles
- Sky: scat at 1,500 ft
- Temperature: 55°F (13°C), dew point 52°F (11°C)
- Altimeter: 30.00 inHg
- Observation at 9:49 pm from ACV, 48 miles away
Injuries
| Fatal | Serious | Minor | None | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Crew | 1 | |||
| Passengers | 3 |
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.