Piper PA-20 accident near Chino, California, November 19, 1988
On November 19, 1988 at about 6:30 pm local time, a Piper PA-20, registered N1441C, was substantially damaged in an accident near Chino, California (Chino airport). It was an instructional flight under general aviation rules (Part 91). No one was hurt; 2 people were on board or involved. The weather was visual conditions (good weather).
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
- November 19, 1988 · about 6:30 pm local time
- Place
- Chino, California · Chino · map
- Type
- Accident
- Injuries
- No one was hurt; 2 people were on board or involved.
- Weather
- visual conditions (good weather)
- Aircraft
- Piper PA-20 · all PA-20s on the register
- Registration
- N1441C · registry record · serial 20-985
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Instructional flight · general aviation rules (Part 91)
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
THE PLT LOST DIRECTIONAL CONTROL OF THE ACFT DURING THE LANDING ROLL AND GROUND LOOPED. THE FLIGHT INSTRUCTOR REPORTED THAT THIS WAS THE FIRST LANDING OF THE DAY AND THAT THEY WERE STAYING IN THE TRAFFIC PATTERN TO PRACTICE TOUCH AND GO LANDINGS ON RWY 26. THE PLT STATED THAT THE TOUCHDOWN AND LANDING WAS STRAIGHT, BUT DURING THE LANDING ROLL THE PLANE STARTED A TURN TO THE LEFT FOLLOWED BY A SHARP TURN TO THE RIGHT. SHE ATTEMPTED TO ADD POWER TO CORRECT, BUT THE ACFT WAS HEADING TOWARDS A CESSNA IN POSITION ON RWY 21 INTERSECTION. THEY CROSSED THE GRASS BETWEEN THE RWYS AND PRIOR TO REACHING RWY 21 THE LEFT GEAR COLLAPSED. INSPECTION REVEALED THE TAILWHEEL STEERING ASSEMBLY DETENT PIN HAD SEPARATED.
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, flight instructor
- Ratings: multi-engine land; single-engine land; instructor: airplane single-engine; instrument: airplane
- Flight time: 2,700 hours in all; 10 in this make and model; 125 in the last 90 days; 30 in the last 30 days; 2,500 as pilot in command; 50 on instruments
- Medical certificate: Class 1 (valid medical--w/ waivers/lim.)
- Seat: rgt
The aircraft
- Last inspection: annual inspection, July 25, 1988; 35 hours since
- Maximum gross weight: 1,950 lb
- Seats: 4
- Landing gear: fixed
- Engine: Lycoming O-320 (piston); 0 hours total
The flight
- Flight plan: none
- Runway 26, 3,856 ft by 150 ft
- A second pilot was aboard
Weather at the time
- Light: daylight
- Visibility: 50 statute miles
- Temperature: 0°F (-18°C), dew point 0°F (-18°C)
- Observation at 6:22 pm from CNO
Injuries
| Fatal | Serious | Minor | None | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Crew | 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.