Piper PA-28R-200 accident near Monterey Park, California, March 3, 1991
On March 3, 1991 at about 2:55 am local time, a Piper PA-28R-200, registered N5290T, was destroyed in an accident near Monterey Park, California. 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
SUICIDE.
Source: NTSB aviation accident database, copy made October 5, 2026. Docket and reports at the NTSB.
What the record shows
- Date
- March 3, 1991 · about 2:55 am local time
- Place
- Monterey Park, California · map
- Type
- Accident
- Injuries
- 1 person was killed.
- Weather
- visual conditions (good weather)
- Aircraft
- Piper PA-28R-200 · all PA-28R-200s on the register
- Registration
- N5290T · registry record · serial 28R-7235217
- Damage
- Destroyed
- Flight
- Personal flight · general aviation rules (Part 91)
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
THE PILOT UNEXPLAINABLY QUIT WORK AND LEFT HOME TEN DAYS BEFORE THE ACCIDENT. SEVEN DAYS LATER THE PILOT RETURNED HOME AND LEFT A SUICIDE NOTE. ON THE DAY OF THE ACCIDENT POLICE OFFICERS QUESTIONED THE PILOT AND HE STATED HE LEFT THE SUICIDE NOTE TO GET REVENGE ON HIS WIFE. THE OFFICERS DID NOT DETAIN THE PILOT. THE PILOT DEPARTED THE AIRPORT IN HIS AIRPLANE AND FLEW FOR ABOUT 5 HOURS AND 20 MINUTES. WITNESSES AT THE ACCIDENT SITE REPORTED THAT THE AIRPLANE CIRCLED THE AREA AND EXECUTED AT LEAST ONE DIVING, PULL UP MANEUVER. AFTER COMPLETING THAT MANEUVER THE AIRPLANE ENTERED INTO A STRAIGHT NOSE DOWN ATTITUDE AND CRASHED INTO THE HOUSE. THERE WAS NO FIRE. THE ENGINE SOUNDED NORMAL WHILE CIRCLING THE AREA. DURING THE DESCENT THE ENGINE SOUND INCREASED TO A HIGH PITCHED WHINE UNTIL IMPACT. THE INVESTIGATION DISCLOSED NO EVIDENCE OF ANY PREEXISTING MALFUNCTIONS OR FAILURES WHICH WOULD HAVE RENDERED THE AIRPLANE INCAPABLE OF OPERATION.
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
- Flight time: 110 hours in all; 110 in this make and model; 33 in the last 90 days; 60 as pilot in command
- Medical certificate: Unknown (valid medical--no waivers/lim.)
- Seat: left
The aircraft
- Airframe total time: 3,179 hours
- Last inspection: annual inspection, December 28, 1990; 55 hours since
- Maximum gross weight: 2,650 lb
- Seats: 4
- Landing gear: retractable
- Engine: Lycoming IO-360-C1C (piston); 0 hours total
- Operator: Gunnell Aviation, INC.
The flight
- Departed from: SMO Santa Monica CA at 9:50 pm
- Flight plan: none
- Runway 0
Weather at the time
- Light: night, bright
- Visibility: 15 statute miles
- Sky: clear
- Temperature: 55°F (13°C), dew point 0°F (-18°C)
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.