Piper PA-30 accident near El Monte, California, May 11, 1990
On May 11, 1990 at about 10:51 pm local time, a Piper PA-30, registered N505GM, was substantially damaged in an accident near El Monte, California (El Monte airport). It was a personal flight under general aviation rules (Part 91). 2 people had minor injuries. The weather was visual conditions (good weather).
The NTSB's probable cause their words, unchanged
THE FAILURE OF THE PILOT IN COMMAND TO ADEQUATELY CONFIGURE THE AIRCRAFT FOR THE TAKEOFF PORTION OF A TOUCH AND GO.
Source: NTSB aviation accident database, copy made November 2, 2026. Docket and reports at the NTSB.
What the record shows
- Date
- May 11, 1990 · about 10:51 pm local time · cases in 1990
- Place
- El Monte, California · El Monte · cases near this airport · map
- Type
- Accident
- Injuries
- 2 people had minor injuries.
- Weather
- visual conditions (good weather)
- Aircraft
- Piper PA-30 · all PA-30s on the register
- Registration
- N505GM · registry record · serial 30-251
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Personal flight · general aviation rules (Part 91)
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
THE PILOT STATED HE WAS ON A LOCAL FAMILIARIZATION FLIGHT WITH A SWISS NATIONAL FRIEND, REPORTED TO BE A CERTIFICATED PRIVATE PILOT. HE SAID HE PLANNED TO DO A TOUCH AND GO LANDING, BUT NEGLECTED TO RECONFIGURE THE AIRCRAFT AFTER LANDING FOR THE TAKEOFF PORTION. HE APPLIED FULL TAKEOFF POWER WITH FULL FLAPS DOWN AND MIXTURES LEANED. THE OWNER/PILOT WAS FLYING THE AIRCRAFT FROM THE RIGHT FRONT SEAT. THE AIRCRAFT BECAME AIRBORNE PREMATURELY AND STARTED TO ROLL TO THE RIGHT, HIS REACTION WAS TO RETRACT THE LANDING GEAR AND RETARD THE THROTTLES. AT ABOUT THAT TIME, THE RIGHT WING STRUCK THE RUNWAY AND STARTED THE CRASH SEQUENCE.
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; instructor: airplane multi-engine; instructor: airplane single-engine; instructor: instrument airplane; instrument: airplane
- Flight time: 883 hours in all; 190 in this make and model; 60 in the last 90 days; 17 in the last 30 days; 810 as pilot in command; 290 on instruments
- Medical certificate: Class 1 (valid medical--no waivers/lim.)
- Seat: rgt
The aircraft
- Last inspection: inspection type not recorded; 0 hours since
- Maximum gross weight: 3,600 lb
- Seats: 5
- Landing gear: retractable
- Engine: Lycoming IO-320-B (piston); 0 hours total
The flight
- Departed from: EMT at 11:00 pm
- Flight plan: none
- Runway 19, 3,995 ft by 75 ft
- A second pilot was aboard
Weather at the time
- Light: daylight
- Wind: from 190° at 5 knots
- Visibility: 8 statute miles
- Sky: broken clouds at 5,000 ft; not recorded
- Temperature: 75°F (24°C), dew point 0°F (-18°C)
- Altimeter: 29.00 inHg
- Observation at 11:52 pm from EMT, 296 miles away
Injuries
| Fatal | Serious | Minor | None | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Crew | 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.
Connections how this case links to the rest of the register
- N505GM on the register today · the tail number may have moved to another aircraft since
- Piper PA-30 Twin Comanche 880 registered today · the model family and its accident history
- Piper 44,839 aircraft on the register
- Engine: Lycoming IO-320-B 1,709 aircraft carry this series today · as the NTSB recorded it
- San Gabriel Valley Airport · nearest airport
- Accidents and incidents in California 9,080 since 1982 · 1,096 in the last ten years
- California 28,279 aircraft registered
The whole map of how records connect · these connections as data: /graph/accident/LAX90LA169.json.
The bigger picture in Aviation Analytics: accidents over time since 1982, by model, by phase of flight and conditions, by place and on the map.
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 does not name anyone involved, its policy at this time. A preliminary report can change; the final report usually follows one to two years later, and the page is refreshed when it does.