Piper PA-28-140 accident near Agua Dulce, California, October 13, 1990
On October 13, 1990 at about 8:58 pm local time, a Piper PA-28-140, registered N5809U, was substantially damaged in an accident near Agua Dulce, California. It was a personal flight under general aviation rules (Part 91). 1 person was seriously injured and 1 person had minor injuries. The weather was visual conditions (good weather).
The NTSB's probable cause their words, unchanged
A FAILURE OF THE PILOT TO PERFORM PREFLIGHT PLANNING.
Source: NTSB aviation accident database, copy made October 5, 2026. Docket and reports at the NTSB.
What the record shows
- Date
- October 13, 1990 · about 8:58 pm local time
- Place
- Agua Dulce, California · map
- Type
- Accident
- Injuries
- 1 person was seriously injured and 1 person had minor injuries.
- Weather
- visual conditions (good weather)
- Aircraft
- Piper PA-28-140 · all PA-28-140s on the register
- Registration
- N5809U · no longer on the register · serial 28-1926
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Personal flight · general aviation rules (Part 91)
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
DURING INITIAL CLIMB TOWARDS RISING TERRAIN, THE PILOT NOTICED HE WAS NOT VERY HIGH BUT SENSED NO IMMEDIATE DANGER. HE STATED HE PLANNED TO NAVIGATE THROUGH A LOWER PASS IN THE HILLS BUT NOTICED HIS RATE OF CLIMB WAS VERY LOW AND HE COULD NOT IMPROVE IT. HE STATED THE TERRAIN WAS RISING FASTER THAN HE WAS. ACCORDING TO PIPER AIRCRAFT COMPANY CALCULATIONS, THE AIRCRAFT WAS LOADED 3/4/ OF AN INCH FORWARD OF THE MAXIMUM FORWARD CENTER OF GRAVITY LIMIT OF THE AIRCRAFT. CALCULATIONS ESTABLISHED THAT THE TERRAIN ROSE AT A RATE OF 450 FEET PER MILE WHILE THE MAXIMUM CLIMB RATE OF THE AIRCRAFT WAS 375 FEET PER MILE.
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: 156 hours in all; 88 in this make and model; 31 in the last 90 days; 26 in the last 30 days; 90 as pilot in command
- Medical certificate: Class 3 (valid medical--w/ waivers/lim.)
- Seat: unk
The aircraft
- Last inspection: inspection type not recorded; 0 hours since
- Maximum gross weight: 2,150 lb
- Seats: 4
- Landing gear: fixed
- Engine: Lycoming O-320-E3D (piston); 0 hours total
- Operator: R.I. Flying Club
The flight
- Destination: 4NW Lancaster CA
- Flight plan: none
- Runway 0
Weather at the time
- Light: daylight
- Wind: from 230° at 6 knots
- Visibility: 20 statute miles
- Sky: clear
- Temperature: 0°F (-18°C), dew point 0°F (-18°C)
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.
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.