Piper PA28-201T accident near Yountville, California, February 27, 1990
On February 27, 1990 at about 7:55 pm local time, a Piper PA28-201T, registered N8359H, was destroyed in an accident near Yountville, California (Nape airport). It was a business flight under general aviation rules (Part 91). 1 person was killed. The weather was instrument conditions (cloud, fog or low visibility).
The NTSB's probable cause their words, unchanged
THE PILOT USED POOR JUDGEMENT BY ATTEMPTING A V.F.R. FLIGHT TO AN AREA WITH FORECASTED INSTRUMENT METEOROLOGICAL CONDITIONS AND CONTINUING THE FLIGHT WHEN I.F.R. CONDITIONS WERE ENCOUNTERED.
Source: NTSB aviation accident database, copy made October 5, 2026. Docket and reports at the NTSB.
What the record shows
- Date
- February 27, 1990 · about 7:55 pm local time
- Place
- Yountville, California · Nape · map
- Type
- Accident
- Injuries
- 1 person was killed.
- Weather
- instrument conditions (cloud, fog or low visibility)
- Aircraft
- Piper PA28-201T · all PA28-201Ts on the register
- Registration
- N8359H · no longer on the register · serial 28R8131100
- Damage
- Destroyed
- Flight
- Business flight · general aviation rules (Part 91)
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
THE NONINSTRUMENT RATED PLT CALLED FLT SERVICE A DAY BEFORE THE ACCIDENT AND REQUESTED AND RECEIVED AN IFR BRIEFING FOR THE ACCIDENT FLIGHT. THE WX BRIEFER PROVIDED THE PLT WITH THE BRIEFING WHICH CONSISTED OF IFR CONDITIONS AT THE DESTINATION AIRPORT AREA WHICH INCLUDED THE ACCIDENT SITE. GND WITNESSES OBSERVED THE AIRPLANE MANEUVERING IN THE ACCIDENT AREA BEFORE IT ENTERED INTO THE 500 FT CEILING STRATUS CLOUDS. THE PREVAILING VISIBILITY WAS LESS THAN 1 MILE. THE ENGINE SOUND INCREASED RAPIDLY WHEN THE AIRPLANE ENTERED THE CLOUDS ABT 2 SECONDS BEFORE IT COLLIDED WITH THE SIDE OF THE HILL. THE ACFT EXAMINATION DISCLOSED THAT IT STRUCK THE HILLSIDE IN A LEVEL FLT ATTITUDE; THE PROPELLER BLADES AND HUB ASSY SHOWED DAMAGE CHARACTERISTICS CONSISTENT WITH HIGH POWER BEING DEVELOPED AT IMPACT. NO PREEXISTING MALFUNCTIONS AND/OR FAILURES WERE NOTED.
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: private
- Ratings: single-engine land
- Flight time: 395 hours in all; 140 in this make and model; 7 in the last 90 days; 4 in the last 30 days; 335 as pilot in command
- Medical certificate: Class 3 (valid medical--w/ waivers/lim.)
- Seat: left
The aircraft
- Airframe total time: 649 hours
- Last inspection: annual inspection, August 21, 1989; 24 hours since
- Maximum gross weight: 2,900 lb
- Seats: 4
- Landing gear: retractable
- Engine: Continental TSIO-360-FB1 (piston); 0 hours total
- Fire on the ground
The flight
- Departed from: S21 Sunriver OR at 4:45 pm
- Destination: CA35 San Rafael CA
- Flight plan: none
- Runway 0
Weather at the time
- Light: daylight
- Visibility: 1 statute miles
- Sky: overcast at 500 ft; not recorded
- Temperature: 64°F (18°C), dew point 0°F (-18°C)
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.