Piper PA-28-151 accident near Apple Valley, California, July 24, 1990
On July 24, 1990 at about 3:15 am local time, a Piper PA-28-151, registered N41455, was destroyed in an accident near Apple Valley, California (Holiday Ranch airport). It was a personal flight under general aviation rules (Part 91). 2 people were killed. The weather was visual conditions (good weather).
The NTSB's probable cause their words, unchanged
IMPROPER PREFLIGHT PLANNING/DECISION BY THE PILOT. FACTORS RELATED TO THE ACCIDENT WERE: FAILUE OF THE PILOT TO CONFIGURE THE AIRCRAFT'S FLAPS FOR A SOFT FIELD TAKEOFF, HIS IMPROPER USE OF STABILATOR TRIM, HIGH DENSITY ALTITUDE, SOFT RUNWAY, AND TREES NEAR THE DEPARTURE END OF THE RUNWAY.
Source: NTSB aviation accident database, copy made October 5, 2026. Docket and reports at the NTSB.
What the record shows
- Date
- July 24, 1990 · about 3:15 am local time
- Place
- Apple Valley, California · Holiday Ranch · map
- Type
- Accident
- Injuries
- 2 people were killed.
- Weather
- visual conditions (good weather)
- Aircraft
- Piper PA-28-151 · all PA-28-151s on the register
- Registration
- N41455 · registry record · serial 28-7415219
- Damage
- Destroyed
- Flight
- Personal flight · general aviation rules (Part 91)
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
THE PLT/OWNER ARRIVED ABT 1.5 HR BEFORE SUNSET TO TAKE DELIVERY OF THE ACFT AFTER IT WAS GIVEN A NEW PAINT JOB. NEWLY UPHOLSTERED FRONT SEATS WERE REINSTALLED & THE ACFT WAS PREFLTD & GIVEN AN ENG RUN-UP ON THE RAMP TO AVOID A RUN-UP OVER GRAVEL. THE PLT INITIATED A TAKEOFF ON RWY 34, WHICH WAS ONLY 1650' LONG. THE RWY SURFACE CONSISTED OF SOFT DIRT & SAND. A WITNESS RPRTD THE ACFT BECAME AIRBORNE AT THE DEP END OF THE RWY & REACHED AN ALT OF ABT 30 FT. IT THEN SETTLED IN A LEVEL ATTITUDE, COLLIDED WITH YUCCA TREES & BURNED AFTER COMING TO REST. AN INVESTIGATION REVEALED THE DENSITY ALT AT THE ARPT WAS ABT 5700'; ABT 15 MI WEST AT GEORGE AFB, THE WIND WAS FM 200 DEG AT 12 KTS. A WITNESS NEAR THE ACDNT SITE ESTD THE WIND WAS FM THE SW AT 2 TO 5 KTS. THE STABILATOR TRIM WAS FND IN A FULL NOSE DOWN PSN. NO PREIMPACT PART FAILURE OR MALFUNCTION WAS FND. FLAPS WERE FND IN THE FULLY RETRACTED PSN.
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; rotorcraft: helicopter
- Flight time: 170 hours in all; 150 in this make and model; 15 in the last 90 days; 9 in the last 30 days; 107 as pilot in command
- Medical certificate: Class 3 (valid medical--w/ waivers/lim.)
- Seat: unk
The aircraft
- Last inspection: inspection type not recorded; 0 hours since
- Maximum gross weight: 2,325 lb
- Seats: 4
- Landing gear: fixed
- Engine: Lycoming O-320-E3D (piston); 0 hours total
- Fire on the ground
The flight
- Destination: L67 Rialto CA
- Flight plan: none
- Runway 34, 1,650 ft by 50 ft
Weather at the time
- Light: dusk
- Wind: from 200° at 12 knots
- Visibility: 20 statute miles
- Sky: scat at 5,000 ft
- Temperature: 0°F (-18°C), dew point 0°F (-18°C)
- Observation at 1:55 am from VCV, 15 miles away
Injuries
| Fatal | Serious | Minor | None | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Crew | 1 | |||
| Passengers | 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.