Piper PA-28-181 accident near Cupertino, California, September 21, 1991
On September 21, 1991 at about 6:34 am local time, a Piper PA-28-181, registered N8272Y, was destroyed in an accident near Cupertino, California. It was a personal flight under general aviation rules (Part 91). 2 people were killed. The weather was instrument conditions (cloud, fog or low visibility).
The NTSB's probable cause their words, unchanged
THE PILOT'S FAILURE TO MAINTAIN THE PROPER ALTITUDE, HIS IMPROPER INFLIGHT DECISION TO ATTEMPT FLIGHT BELOW THE BASE OF AN OVERCAST LAYER OF CLOUDS TOWARD RISING MOUNTAINOUS TERRAIN AND THE FLIGHT'S INADVERTENT ENTRY INTO INSTRUMENT METEOROLOGICAL CONDITIONS. FACTORS WHICH CONTRIBUTED TO THE ACCIDENT WERE THE PILOT'S MISJUDGED WEATHER EVALUATION AND HIS IMPROPER VFR PROCEDURES.
Source: NTSB aviation accident database, copy made November 2, 2026. Docket and reports at the NTSB.
What the record shows
- Date
- September 21, 1991 · about 6:34 am local time · cases in 1991
- Place
- Cupertino, California · map
- Type
- Accident
- Injuries
- 2 people were killed.
- Weather
- instrument conditions (cloud, fog or low visibility)
- Aircraft
- Piper PA-28-181 · all PA-28-181s on the register
- Registration
- N8272Y · registry record · serial 28-8190045
- Damage
- Destroyed
- Flight
- Personal flight · general aviation rules (Part 91)
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
THE 229-HOUR INSTRUMENT RATED PRIVATE PILOT DEPARTED BAKERSFIELD FOR A FLIGHT HOME DURING BRIGHT NIGHTIME VFR CONDITIONS. APPROACHING HIS DESTINATION AIRPORT, SAN CARLOS, THE PILOT CONTACTED NAS MOFFETT AND RECEIVED PERMISSION TO TRANSIT ITS AIRSPACE. THE PILOT WAS TOLD TO REPORT OVER THE AIRPORT. AS THE PILOT APPROACHED THE AIRPORT HE LIKELY ENCOUNTERED A FORECAST OVERCAST LAYER OF CLOUDS HAVING BASES AT 1,000 FEET. THE PILOT MADE A 60 TO 70 DEGREE CHANGE OF COURSE AWAY FROM NAS MOFFETT AND PROBABLY ATTEMPTED TO FLY BENEATH THE CLOUDS WHILE OVER THE DENSELY POPULATED AND ILLUMINATED AREAS OF THE CITY. THE PILOT ENTERED THE BASE OF THE CLOUDS, CONTINUED FLYING UNTIL ENTERING A MOUNTAINOUS AREA AND LOST VISUAL REFERENCE TO THE CITY. SECONDS BEFORE IMPACT THE PILOT REQUESTED THE FREQUENCY FOR A NEARBY RADAR FACILITY. THE PILOT WAS FAMILIAR WITH THE AREA HAVING RECENTLY LEARNED TO FLY IN THE VICINITY.
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; instrument: airplane
- Flight time: 229 hours in all; 179 in this make and model; 67 in the last 90 days; 21 in the last 30 days; 119 as pilot in command
- Medical certificate: Class 3 (valid medical--no waivers/lim.)
- Seat: left
The aircraft
- Last inspection: inspection type not recorded, January 2, 2000
- Maximum gross weight: 2,550 lb
- Seats: 4
- Landing gear: fixed
- Engine: Lycoming O-360-A4M (piston); 0 hours total
- Operator: Golden Gate Aviation
The flight
- Departed from: BFL Bakersfield CA at 4:00 am
- Destination: SQL San Carlos CA
- Flight plan: IFR
- Runway 0
Weather at the time
- Light: night, dark
- Wind: from 030° at 2 knots
- Visibility: 7 statute miles
- Sky: overcast at 1,000 ft; clear
- Temperature: 61°F (16°C), dew point 54°F (12°C)
- Altimeter: 29.00 inHg
- Observation at 6:55 am from NUQ, 7 miles away
Injuries
| Fatal | Serious | Minor | None | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Crew | 1 | |||
| Passengers | 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.
Other NTSB records under N8272Y the same tail number, which may have belonged to a different aircraft at the time
Connections how this case links to the rest of the register
- N8272Y on the register today · the tail number may have moved to another aircraft since
- Piper PA-28 Cherokee, Warrior, Archer and Arrow 18,621 registered today · the model family and its accident history
- Piper 44,840 aircraft on the register
- Engine: Lycoming O-360-A4M 418 aircraft carry this series today · as the NTSB recorded it
- Meadows Field · departed from
- San Carlos Airport · bound for
- Accidents and incidents in California 9,080 since 1982 · 1,096 in the last ten years
- California 28,112 aircraft registered
- Other NTSB records under N8272Y 2 records · the number may have belonged to another aircraft at the time
The whole map of how records connect · these connections as data: /graph/accident/LAX91FA399.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.