Piper PA-28-161 accident near Placerville, California, September 21, 1991
On September 21, 1991 at about 6:36 pm local time, a Piper PA-28-161, registered N82857, was destroyed in an accident near Placerville, California (Swansboro airport). It was a personal flight under general aviation rules (Part 91). 1 person was killed and 4 people were seriously injured. The weather was visual conditions (good weather).
The NTSB's probable cause their words, unchanged
THE PILOT'S ATTEMPTED TAKEOFF AT A HIGH DENSITY AIRPORT WITH THE AIRPLANE EXCEEDING ITS MAXIMUM GROSS TAKEOFF WEIGHT. CONTRIBUTING TO THE ACCIDENT WAS THE PILOT'S USE OF ILLEGAL DRUGS AND ABUSE OF PRESCRIPTION DRUGS.
Source: NTSB aviation accident database, copy made October 5, 2026. Docket and reports at the NTSB.
What the record shows
- Date
- September 21, 1991 · about 6:36 pm local time
- Place
- Placerville, California · Swansboro · map
- Type
- Accident
- Injuries
- 1 person was killed and 4 people were seriously injured.
- Weather
- visual conditions (good weather)
- Aircraft
- Piper PA-28-161 · all PA-28-161s on the register
- Registration
- N82857 · registry record · serial 28-8316004
- Damage
- Destroyed
- Flight
- Personal flight · general aviation rules (Part 91)
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
THE FOUR PLACE AIRPLANE WAS LOADED WITH FIVE OCCUPANTS AND WAS DEPARTING A HIGH DENSITY ALTITUDE AIRPORT EN ROUTE TO ANOTHER HIGH DENSITY ALTITUDE AIRPORT FOR REFUELING. THE AIRPLANE EXCEEDED ITS MAXIMUM TAKEOFF GROSS WEIGHT. POSITIVE RESULTS WERE OBTAINED DURING THE TOXICOLOGIAL ANALYSIS ROUTINE ALCOHOL AND DRUG TESTS. THE PILOT TESTED POSITIVE FOR BENZOYLECGONINE, PHENDIMETRAZINE, AND PHENMETRAZINE. ACCORDING TO FORENSIC TOXICOLOGISTS, BENZOYLECGONINE IS A METABOLITE OF COCAINE. PHENDIMETRAZINE IS A CHEMICAL FOUND IN PRESCRIPTION APPETITE SUPPRESSANTS AND PHENMETRAZINE IS THE METABOLITE OF PHENDIMETRAZINE. THE FORENSIC TOXICOLOGIST ALSO INDICATED THE QUANTITIES OF PHENDIMETRAZINE AND PHENMETRAZINE FOUND IN THE PILOT'S SYSTEM WERE ELEVATED AND EXCEEDED THERAPEUTIC LEVELS.
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: 450 hours in all
- Medical certificate: Class 3 (valid medical--w/ waivers/lim.)
- Seat: left
The aircraft
- Airframe total time: 1,845 hours
- Last inspection: annual inspection, June 1, 1991; 51 hours since
- Maximum gross weight: 2,325 lb
- Seats: 4
- Landing gear: fixed
- Engine: Lycoming O-320-D3G (piston); 0 hours total
- Fire on the ground
The flight
- Destination: PVF Placerville CA
- Flight plan: none
- Runway 9, 3,200 ft by 75 ft
Weather at the time
- Light: daylight
- Wind: from 310° at 3 knots
- Visibility: 12 statute miles
- Sky: clear
- Temperature: 75°F (24°C), dew point 54°F (12°C)
- Altimeter: 29.00 inHg
Injuries
| Fatal | Serious | Minor | None | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Crew | 1 | |||
| Passengers | 4 |
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 N82857 the same tail number, which may have belonged to a different aircraft at the time
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.