Piper PA-24-260 accident near Corona, California, June 24, 1990
On June 24, 1990 at about 1:55 am local time, a Piper PA-24-260, registered N9302P, was substantially damaged in an accident near Corona, California (Corona airport). It was a personal flight under general aviation rules (Part 91). No one was hurt; 3 people were on board or involved. The weather was visual conditions (good weather).
The NTSB's probable cause their words, unchanged
SABOTAGE WHEREIN UNKNOWN PERSON(S) PUT SAND IN THE AIRPLANE'S FUEL TANK.
Source: NTSB aviation accident database, copy made October 5, 2026. Docket and reports at the NTSB.
What the record shows
- Date
- June 24, 1990 · about 1:55 am local time
- Place
- Corona, California · Corona
- Type
- Accident
- Injuries
- No one was hurt; 3 people were on board or involved.
- Weather
- visual conditions (good weather)
- Aircraft
- Piper PA-24-260 · all PA-24-260s on the register
- Registration
- N9302P · no longer on the register · serial 24-4798
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Personal flight · general aviation rules (Part 91)
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
THE PLT HAD ARRIVED AT LAKE HAVASU ON THE EVENING PRECEDING THE ACCIDENT, AND WHEN HE TIED DOWN THE AIRPLANE ALL OF THE FUEL TANK DOORS WERE CLOSED. THE NEXT DAY, WHEN PREFLIGHTING THE AIRPLANE FOR HIS FLIGHT TO TORRANCE, HE NOTICED THAT THE RIGHT AUX FUEL TANK DOOR WAS OPEN. WHILE ENROUTE TO TORRANCE, AND USING THE AUX FUEL TANK, THE ENGINE SUSTAINED A TOTAL LOSS OF POWER. EMERG PROCEDURES TO RESTART THE ENGINE WERE TO NO AVAIL AND THE PLT LANDED IN AN OPEN FIELD. A CUPFUL OF SAND WAS FOUND IN THE RIGHT AUXILIARY FUEL TANK, AND SAND CONTAMINATES WERE ALSO FOUND IN THE RIGHT AUXILIARY FUEL TANK PORT. SOME OF THE INJECTOR NOZZLES WERE PLUGGED WITH AN UNIDENTIFIED SUBSTANCE.
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: 301 hours in all; 103 in this make and model; 3 in the last 90 days; 1 in the last 30 days; 197 as pilot in command
- Medical certificate: Class 3 (valid medical--w/ waivers/lim.)
- Seat: left
The aircraft
- Airframe total time: 2,171 hours
- Last inspection: annual inspection, October 1, 1989; 33 hours since
- Maximum gross weight: 3,100 lb
- Seats: 4
- Landing gear: retractable
- Engine: Lycoming IO-540-D4A5 (piston); 0 hours total
The flight
- Departed from: LHU Lake Havasu AZ
- Destination: TOA Torrance CA
- Flight plan: none
- Runway 0
Weather at the time
- Light: daylight
- Visibility: 25 statute miles
- Sky: clear
- Temperature: 81°F (27°C), dew point 0°F (-18°C)
Injuries
| Fatal | Serious | Minor | None | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Crew | 1 | |||
| Passengers | 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.