Piper PA-34-200 accident near Fresno, California, February 21, 1990
On February 21, 1990 at about 1:00 am local time, a Piper PA-34-200, registered N222ES, was substantially damaged in an accident near Fresno, California (Fresno airport). It was a business flight under general aviation rules (Part 91). No one was hurt; 4 people were on board or involved. The weather was visual conditions (good weather).
The NTSB's probable cause their words, unchanged
THE PILOT'S IMPROPER HANDLING OF THE AIRPLANE DURING TAXI.
Source: NTSB aviation accident database, copy made October 5, 2026. Docket and reports at the NTSB.
What the record shows
- Date
- February 21, 1990 · about 1:00 am local time
- Place
- Fresno, California · Fresno · map
- Type
- Accident
- Injuries
- No one was hurt; 4 people were on board or involved.
- Weather
- visual conditions (good weather)
- Aircraft
- Piper PA-34-200 · all PA-34-200s on the register
- Registration
- N222ES · registry record · serial 34-7250331
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Business flight · general aviation rules (Part 91)
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
WITNESSES REPORTED THAT THE PILOT TAXIED DOWN A SMALL INCLINE ON THE APRON AND DRAGGED THE TAIL OF THE AIRPLANE. THE PILOT THEN TURNED THE AIRPLANE AROUND, PROCEEDED BACK UP THE INCLINE, STRIKING THE TAIL SECTION AGAIN. PILOT DID NOT SUBMIT AN ACCIDENT REPORT; WEIGHT & BALANCE DATA UNKNOWN.
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: airline transport pilot
- Ratings: multi-engine land; single-engine land; instrument: airplane
- Flight time: 1,000 hours in all
- Medical certificate: Class 2 (valid medical--no waivers/lim.)
- Seat: unk
The aircraft
- Last inspection: inspection type not recorded; 0 hours since
- Maximum gross weight: 3,600 lb
- Seats: 6
- Landing gear: retractable
- Engine: Lycoming IO-360 (piston); 0 hours total
The flight
- Destination: OAK Oakland CA
- Runway 0
Weather at the time
- Light: daylight
- Wind: from 320° at 5 knots
- Visibility: 7 statute miles
- Sky: broken clouds at 12,000 ft; clear
- Temperature: 0°F (-18°C), dew point 0°F (-18°C)
- Altimeter: 30.00 inHg
- Observation at 2:50 am from FAT
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.
Other NTSB records under N222ES the same tail number, which may have belonged to a different aircraft at the time
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.