Piper PA-28 accident near Modesto, California, December 1, 1988
On December 1, 1988 at about 2:23 am local time, a Piper PA-28, registered N5852V, was substantially damaged in an accident near Modesto, California (Modesto City airport). It was a business flight under general aviation rules (Part 91). 1 person had minor injuries. 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 1, 1988 · about 2:23 am local time
- Place
- Modesto, California · Modesto City · map
- Type
- Accident
- Injuries
- 1 person had minor injuries.
- Weather
- instrument conditions (cloud, fog or low visibility)
- Aircraft
- Piper PA-28 · all PA-28s on the register
- Registration
- N5852V · no longer on the register · serial 28-7715257
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Business flight · general aviation rules (Part 91)
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
DURING AN ILS APPROACH IN NIGHT INSTRUMENT METEOROLOGICAL CONDITIONS, THE PILOT ALLOWED THE AIRSPEED TO DIMINISH RESULTING IN THE AIRPLANE STALLING. BEFORE THE PILOT COULD REGAIN CONTROL, THE AIRPLANE COLLIDED WITH THE TERRAIN SHORT OF THE RUNWAY. THERE WERE NO REPORTED MECHANICAL FAILURES OR MALFUNCTIONS WITH THE AIRPLANE OR AIRPORT EQUIPMENT AT THE TIME OF THE ACCIDENT.
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: airline transport pilot
- Ratings: multi-engine land; single-engine land; instrument: airplane
- Flight time: 6,795 hours in all; 1,000 in this make and model; 183 in the last 90 days; 60 in the last 30 days; 6,600 as pilot in command
- Medical certificate: Class 2 (valid medical--w/ waivers/lim.)
- Seat: left
The aircraft
- Airframe total time: 3,700 hours
- Last inspection: 100-hour inspection, October 18, 1988; 62 hours since
- Maximum gross weight: 2,325 lb
- Seats: 4
- Landing gear: fixed
- Engine: Lycoming O-320-D3G (piston); 0 hours total
The flight
- Departed from: FAT Fresno CA at 1:35 am
- Destination: MOD Modesto CA
- Flight plan: IFR
- Runway 28, 5,911 ft by 150 ft
Weather at the time
- Light: night, dark
- Sky: overcast at 100 ft; not recorded
- Temperature: 43°F (6°C), dew point 43°F (6°C)
- Altimeter: 30.00 inHg
- Observation at 2:56 am from MOD, 1 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.