Piper PA-34-200 accident near Lake Elsinore, California, March 24, 1989
On March 24, 1989 at about 8:03 pm local time, a Piper PA-34-200, registered N4374T, was destroyed in an accident near Lake Elsinore, California (Skylark airport). It was an instructional flight under general aviation rules (Part 91). 1 person had minor injuries; 1 other was unhurt. The weather was visual conditions (good weather).
The NTSB's probable cause their words, unchanged
CFI DISPLAYED POOR JUDGEMENT IN HIS DEMONSTRATION OF SINGLE ENGINE OPERATION OF A TWIN ENGINE ACFT. HIS LACK OF SUPERVISION OF AN IMPROPER, DETERIORATING SITUATION ASSURED AN UNSUCCESSFUL CONCLUSION.
Source: NTSB aviation accident database, copy made October 5, 2026. Docket and reports at the NTSB.
What the record shows
- Date
- March 24, 1989 · about 8:03 pm local time
- Place
- Lake Elsinore, California · Skylark
- Type
- Accident
- Injuries
- 1 person had minor injuries; 1 other was unhurt.
- Weather
- visual conditions (good weather)
- Aircraft
- Piper PA-34-200 · all PA-34-200s on the register
- Registration
- N4374T · no longer on the register · serial 34-7250080
- Damage
- Destroyed
- Flight
- Instructional flight · general aviation rules (Part 91)
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
THE PILOT OF A PA-34-200 ATTEMPTED TO MAKE A SINGLE ENGINE GO-AROUND AND COLLIDED WITH THE TERRAIN NEAR LAKE ELSINORE, CA. THE CFI STATED THAT HE HAD SHUTDOWN THE LEFT ENGINE AND FEATHERED THE PROPELLER TO DEMONSTRATE, TO THE STUDENT, SINGLE- ENGINE PROCEDURES AND PERFORMANCE. THE CFI THEN TOLD HIS STUDENT TO PERFORM A SINGLE-ENGINE LANDING. THE STUDENT WAS HIGH AND FAST ON FINAL. THE STUDENT ATTEMPTED A GO-AROUND BUT, THE ACFT DID NOT RESPOND WITH A POSITIVE RATE OF CLIMB. THE CFI TOOK CONTROL OF THE ACFT BUT, WAS ALSO UNSUCCESSFUL IN GAINING A POSITIVE RATE OF CLIMB. THE ACFT WOULD NOT CLEAR POWER LINES THAT WERE LOCATED AT THE END OF THE RUNWAY. THE CFI DESCENDED THE ACFT AND FLEW UNDER THEM. THE ACFT THEN ENTERED INTO A POSITIVE RATE OF CLIMB BUT NOT ENOUGH TO CLEAR HOUSES IN THEIR FLIGHT PATH. THE CFI ELECTED TO LAND STRAIGHT AHEAD. THERE WERE NO REPORTED MECHANICAL FAILURES OR MALFUNCTIONS WITH THE ACFT PRIOR TO 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, flight instructor
- Ratings: multi-engine land; single-engine land; instructor: airplane multi-engine; instructor: airplane single-engine; instrument: airplane
- Flight time: 3,760 hours in all; 130 in this make and model; 200 in the last 90 days; 65 in the last 30 days; 3,700 as pilot in command; 190 on instruments
- Medical certificate: Class 1 (valid medical--no waivers/lim.)
- Seat: unk
The aircraft
- Airframe total time: 4,310 hours
- Last inspection: annual inspection, October 14, 1988; 105 hours since
- Maximum gross weight: 4,200 lb
- Seats: 6
- Landing gear: retractable
- Engine: Lycoming IO-360-C-1E6 (piston); 0 hours total
The flight
- Departed from: L66 Concord CA at 5:20 pm
- Flight plan: none
- Runway 11, 2,575 ft by 80 ft
- A second pilot was aboard
Weather at the time
- Light: daylight
- Visibility: 50 statute miles
- Sky: clear
- Temperature: 70°F (21°C), dew point 0°F (-18°C)
Injuries
| Fatal | Serious | Minor | None | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Crew | 1 | 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.