Piper PA-28-181 accident near Carpenteria, California, April 21, 1991
On April 21, 1991 at about 3:53 am local time, a Piper PA-28-181, registered N8019N, was destroyed in an accident near Carpenteria, California. It was a personal flight under general aviation rules (Part 91). 4 people were killed. The weather was instrument conditions (cloud, fog or low visibility).
The NTSB's probable cause their words, unchanged
1) INADEQUATE WEATHER EVALUATION BY THE PILOT, 2) POOR INFLIGHT DECISION TO TRY AND CONTINUE VMC FLIGHT, AND 3) THE PILOT'S LACK OF TOTAL EXPERIENCE.
Source: NTSB aviation accident database, copy made October 5, 2026. Docket and reports at the NTSB.
What the record shows
- Date
- April 21, 1991 · about 3:53 am local time
- Place
- Carpenteria, California · map
- Type
- Accident
- Injuries
- 4 people were killed.
- Weather
- instrument conditions (cloud, fog or low visibility)
- Aircraft
- Piper PA-28-181 · all PA-28-181s on the register
- Registration
- N8019N · no longer on the register · serial 28-8290073
- Damage
- Destroyed
- Flight
- Personal flight · general aviation rules (Part 91)
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
THE PILOT TOOK OFF IN VMC CONDITIONS FROM AN AIRPORT THAT IS ON THE COAST. THE SURROUNDING MOUNTAINS A FEW MILES INLAND HAD BEEN OBSCURED BY CLOUDS AND LOW CEILINGS FOR SEVERAL HOURS. ABOUT 15 MINUTES AFTER TAKEOFF, THE PILOT CONTACTED AN APPROACH CONTROL FACILITY TO REQUEST VISUAL FLIGHT RULES FLIGHT FOLLOWING. ABOUT ONE MINUTE AFTER THAT FIRST CONTACT, THE PILOT STARTED GIVING INDICATIONS THAT HE WAS HAVING PROBLEMS WITH THE WEATHER AND WITH FINDING HIS EXACT POSITION. WITHIN ABOUT 3 1/2 MINUTES AFTER THE INITIAL CONTACT WITH THE CONTROLLER, THE PILOT SAID THAT HE COULDN'T SEE 'ANYTHING'. THAT WAS HIS LAST KNOWN RADIO TRANSMISSION. HIS TRANSPONDER SQUAWK CODE DISAPPEARED FROM THE CONTROLLER'S RADAR SCREEN AT ABOUT THE SAME TIME AS THE LAST KNOWN TRANSMISSION. THE CONTROLLER ASKED THE PILOT SEVERAL TIMES IF HE WAS VMC OR VFR. THE PILOT RESPONDED AFFIRMATIVELY EVERY TIME. THE AIRCRAFT COLLIDED WITH A MOUNTAIN AT ABOUT THE 3,300 FEET LEVEL.
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: 75 hours in all
- Medical certificate: Class 1 (valid medical--no waivers/lim.)
- Seat: unk
The aircraft
- Last inspection: inspection type not recorded, January 2, 2000
- Maximum gross weight: 2,450 lb
- Seats: 4
- Landing gear: fixed
- Engine: Lycoming O-360-A4M (piston); 0 hours total
- Fire on the ground
- Operator: West Wind Aviation
The flight
- Departed from: SBA Santa Barbara CA at 4:34 am
- Destination: VNY Van Nuys CA
- Flight plan: none
- Runway 0
Weather at the time
- Light: night, dark
- Visibility: 5 statute miles
- Sky: broken clouds at 1,300 ft; not recorded
- Temperature: 0°F (-18°C), dew point 0°F (-18°C)
- Observation at 4:59 am from SBA, 19 miles away
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.
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.