Piper PA-23-150 accident near Long Beach, California, February 10, 1990
On February 10, 1990 at about 9:08 pm local time, a Piper PA-23-150, registered N2118P, was destroyed in an accident near Long Beach, California (Long Beach airport). It was a personal flight under general aviation rules (Part 91). 2 people were seriously injured and 2 people had minor injuries. The weather was visual conditions (good weather).
The NTSB's probable cause their words, unchanged
THE PILOT'S FAILURE TO RAISE THE GEAR AND FLAPS DURING A GO-AROUND RESULTING IN A LOSS OF CONTROL. A CONTRIBUTING FACTOR WAS THE PILOT'S LACK OF EXPERIENCE IN A PA-23.
Source: NTSB aviation accident database, copy made October 5, 2026. Docket and reports at the NTSB.
What the record shows
- Date
- February 10, 1990 · about 9:08 pm local time
- Place
- Long Beach, California · Long Beach
- Type
- Accident
- Injuries
- 2 people were seriously injured and 2 people had minor injuries.
- Weather
- visual conditions (good weather)
- Aircraft
- Piper PA-23-150 · all PA-23-150s on the register
- Registration
- N2118P · no longer on the register · serial 23-709
- Damage
- Destroyed
- Flight
- Personal flight · general aviation rules (Part 91)
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
THE PLT WAS ON FINAL FOLLOWING A C-152 DOING TOUCH-AND-GO'S AND WAS INSTRUCTED BY THE TOWER TO EXECUTE A GO-AROUND WHEN IT APPEARED TO THE CONTROLLER THE PIPER WAS OVERTAKING THE CESSNA. THE PIPER WAS OBSERVED TO CLIMB AND THEN DESCEND TO THE GROUND IN A LEFT TURN. THE PLT INDICATED A POSSIBLE LOSS OF POWER ON THE LEFT ENGINE DURING THE GO-AROUND, AND THAT HE RAISED THE GEAR AND FLAPS. THE FLAP SELECTOR WAS FOUND IN THE FULL DOWN POSITION, AND THE GEAR SELECTOR WAS FOUND IN THE DOWN AND NEUTRAL POSITION. THE PLT HAD 13 HRS IN A PA-23. NO EVIDENCE FOUND TO INDICATE A MECHANICAL PROBLEM OF THE LEFT ENGINE. BOTH FUEL TANKS HAD EVIDENCE OF AUTOMOTIVE FUEL PRESENT.
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: flight instructor, commercial pilot
- Ratings: multi-engine land; single-engine land; instrument: airplane
- Flight time: 556 hours in all; 13 in this make and model; 384 as pilot in command; 290 on instruments
- Medical certificate: Class 1 (valid medical--no waivers/lim.)
- Seat: unk
The aircraft
- Last inspection: inspection type not recorded; 0 hours since
- Maximum gross weight: 3,500 lb
- Seats: 5
- Landing gear: retractable
- Engine: Lycoming O-320 (piston); 0 hours total
The flight
- Departed from: Hesperia CA at 8:30 pm
- Flight plan: none
- Runway 25L, 5,420 ft by 150 ft
Weather at the time
- Light: daylight
- Wind: from 300° at 6 knots
- Visibility: 10 statute miles
- Sky: scat at 25,000 ft
- Temperature: 0°F (-18°C), dew point 0°F (-18°C)
- Observation at 9:19 pm from LGB
Injuries
| Fatal | Serious | Minor | None | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Crew | 1 | |||
| Passengers | 1 | 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.