Piper PA-28RT-201T accident near Palm Springs, California, October 6, 1989
On October 6, 1989, a Piper PA-28RT-201T, registered N3063T, was destroyed in an accident near Palm Springs, California (Palm Springs airport). It was a personal flight under general aviation rules (Part 91). 4 people were killed. The weather was visual conditions (good weather).
The NTSB's probable cause their words, unchanged
IMPROPER IN-FLIGHT PLANNING/DECISION BY THE PILOT, AND HIS FAILURE TO FOLLOW WAKE TURBULENCE AVOIDANCE PROCEDURES, WHICH RESULTED IN A VORTEX TURBULENCE ENCOUNTER. A FACTOR RELATED TO THE ACCIDENT WAS: THE PILOT'S FAILURE TO ASSURE THE AIRCRAFT WAS LOADED WITHIN ITS WEIGHT AND BALANCE LIMITATIONS.
Source: NTSB aviation accident database, copy made October 5, 2026. Docket and reports at the NTSB.
What the record shows
- Date
- October 6, 1989
- Place
- Palm Springs, California · Palm Springs · map
- Type
- Accident
- Injuries
- 4 people were killed.
- Weather
- visual conditions (good weather)
- Aircraft
- Piper PA-28RT-201T PA-28RT-20 · all PA-28RT-201Ts on the register
- Registration
- N3063T · no longer on the register · serial 28R-7931089
- Damage
- Destroyed
- Flight
- Personal flight · general aviation rules (Part 91)
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
THE PIPER PA-28 PLT ENTERED LEFT TRAFFIC TO LAND ON RWY 12 IN WINDS THAT WERE VARIABLE AT 6 KTS. THE RWY WAS 8500' LONG, BUT IT HAD A 1200' DISPLACED THRESHOLD. AT ABT THE SAME TIME, A BOEING 727 (ALASKA FLT 192) WAS ON AN APCH TO LAND ON THE SAME RWY. THE TWR CTLR ADZD THE PA-28 PLT OF THE OTHER TRAFFIC & CAUTIONED HIM ABT WAKE TURBULENCE. THE PA-28 WAS ABEAM THE APCH END OF THE RWY ON A CLOSE DOWNWIND AS FLT 192 LANDED. THE PA-28 PLT WAS CLRD TO LAND & HE ENTERED AN 'IMMEDIATE STEEP BANK AND DESCENDING TURN.' RPRTDLY, THE PA-28 WAS MANEUVERED ONTO FINAL APCH ABT 100' TO 200' AGL, THEN IT BEGAN OSCILLATING EXCESSIVELY & CRASHED. NO PREIMPACT MECHANICAL PROBLEM WAS EVIDENT. A WEIGHT & BALANCE COMPUTATION SHOWED THE PA-28 WAS ABT 150 LBS OVER ITS MAX GROSS WEIGHT LIMITATION & THE CG WAS 3.86 INCHES BEHIND THE AFT LIMIT.
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: commercial pilot
- Ratings: multi-engine land; single-engine land; instrument: airplane
- Flight time: 1,665 hours in all; 877 in this make and model; 164 in the last 90 days; 51 in the last 30 days; 1,665 as pilot in command
- Medical certificate: Class 2 (valid medical--w/ waivers/lim.)
- Seat: left
The aircraft
- Airframe total time: 4,721 hours
- Last inspection: annual inspection, March 28, 1989; 273 hours since
- Maximum gross weight: 2,900 lb
- Seats: 4
- Landing gear: retractable
- Engine: Continental TSIO-360-F8 (piston); 0 hours total
The flight
- Departed from: CLR Calipatria CA at 11:52 pm
- Destination: PSP
- Flight plan: none
- Runway 12, 8,500 ft by 150 ft
Weather at the time
- Light: daylight
- Wind: at 6 knots
- Visibility: 30 statute miles
- Sky: clear
- Temperature: 91°F (33°C), dew point 0°F (-18°C)
- Altimeter: 29.00 inHg
- Observation at 5:16 pm from PSP
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.