Piper PA28-140 accident near El Cajon, California, October 11, 1990
On October 11, 1990 at about 9:07 pm local time, a Piper PA28-140, registered N6147J, was destroyed in an accident near El Cajon, California (Gillespie Field). It was a personal flight under general aviation rules (Part 91). 1 person was killed. The weather was visual conditions (good weather).
The NTSB's probable cause their words, unchanged
THE PILOT'S FAILURE TO MAINTAIN FLYING SPEED. CONTRIBUTING TO THE ACCIDENT WAS AN ENGINE POWER LOSS FOR UNDETERMINED REASONS.
Source: NTSB aviation accident database, copy made October 5, 2026. Docket and reports at the NTSB.
What the record shows
- Date
- October 11, 1990 · about 9:07 pm local time
- Place
- El Cajon, California · Gillespie Field · map
- Type
- Accident
- Injuries
- 1 person was killed.
- Weather
- visual conditions (good weather)
- Aircraft
- Piper PA28-140 · all PA28-140s on the register
- Registration
- N6147J · no longer on the register · serial 28-7625223
- Damage
- Destroyed
- Flight
- Personal flight · general aviation rules (Part 91)
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
THE PILOT WAS CONDUCTING TOUCH AND GO LANDINGS IN A CLOSED TRAFFIC PATTERN. AFTER TAKEOFF, WITNESSES OBSERVED THE AIRCRAFT'S NOSE PITCH UP DURING A TURN TO THE LEFT THEN PITCH DOWN AND DESCEND INTO THE GROUND. OTHER WITNESSES HEARD THE ENGINE SPUTTER PRIOR TO THE NOSE PITCH UP. MOST WITNESSES DESCRIBED THE AIRCRAFT STALLING DURING THE TURN. EXAMINATION OF THE ENGINE AND FUEL SYSTEM REVEALED NO PHYSICAL EVIDENCE OF A MALFUNCTION OR FAILURE.
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: commercial pilot
- Ratings: multi-engine land; single-engine land; single-engine sea; instrument: airplane; rotorcraft: glider; rotorcraft: helicopter
- Flight time: 1,100 hours in all
- Medical certificate: Class 3 (valid medical--w/ waivers/lim.)
- Seat: left
The aircraft
- Airframe total time: 5,562 hours
- Last inspection: 100-hour inspection, September 15, 1990; 18 hours since
- Maximum gross weight: 2,150 lb
- Seats: 2
- Landing gear: fixed
- Engine: Lycoming O-320-E3D (piston); 0 hours total
- Fire on the ground
- Operator: National Air College
The flight
- Flight plan: none
- Runway 27L, 2,737 ft by 60 ft
Weather at the time
- Light: daylight
- Visibility: 25 statute miles
- Sky: clear
- Temperature: 86°F (30°C), dew point 7°F (-14°C)
- Altimeter: 29.00 inHg
- Observation at 2:08 pm from SEE
Injuries
| Fatal | Serious | Minor | None | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Crew | 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.