Piper PA 32-300 accident near Anaheim, California, January 21, 1991
On January 21, 1991 at about 4:58 pm local time, a Piper PA 32-300, registered N1885H, was substantially damaged in an accident near Anaheim, California. It was a flight of an unrecorded kind under charter and air-taxi rules (Part 135). 1 person had minor injuries. The weather was visual conditions (good weather).
The NTSB's probable cause their words, unchanged
MAINTENANCE PERSONNEL IN THAT THEY IMPROPERLY ADJUSTED THE LEFT MAGNETO WHICH RESULTED IN THE COMPLETE EROSION OF THE ELECTRODES FROM SIX OF THE TWELVE INSTALLED SPARK PLUGS. THE INSTALLATION OF SPARK PLUGS WITH COLDER HEAT RANGES THAN SPECIFIED BY THE MANUFACTURER AND RISING TERRAIN AHEAD OF THE AIRCRAFT DURING THE FORCED LANDING WERE FACTORS IN THE ACCIDENT.
Source: NTSB aviation accident database, copy made October 5, 2026. Docket and reports at the NTSB.
What the record shows
- Date
- January 21, 1991 · about 4:58 pm local time
- Place
- Anaheim, California
- Type
- Accident
- Injuries
- 1 person had minor injuries.
- Weather
- visual conditions (good weather)
- Aircraft
- Piper PA 32-300 · all PA 32-300s on the register
- Registration
- N1885H · no longer on the register · serial 32R-7780197
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Flight of an unrecorded kind · charter and air-taxi rules (Part 135)
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
AFTER INSTALLING SPARK PLUGS WITH HEAT RANGES COLDER THAN SPECIFIED BY THE ENGINE MANUFACTURER AND ADJUSTING THE LEFT MAGNETO 10 DEGREES BEFORE ITS SPECIFIED ADJUSTMENT THE AIRCRAFT WAS RELEASED FOR FLIGHT. THE PILOT TOOK OFF FOR HIS NON SCHEDULED PART 135 FLIGHT. ENROUTE THE ENGINE LOST POWER AND THE AIRCRAFT BEGAN TO DESCEND. THE PILOT MADE A FORCED LANDING IN A DRY LAKE BED. THE LANDING SURFACE WAS TOO SHORT AND THE LEFT LANDING GEAR COLLAPSED AS THE PILOT ATTEMPTED TO STEER THE AIRCRAFT AWAY FROM A STEEP BANK.
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: flight instructor, commercial pilot
- Ratings: multi-engine land; single-engine land; instructor: airplane single-engine; instrument: airplane
- Flight time: 2,930 hours in all; 320 in this make and model; 250 in the last 90 days; 40 in the last 30 days; 2,740 as pilot in command; 1,220 on instruments
- Medical certificate: Class 1 (valid medical--no waivers/lim.)
- Seat: left
The aircraft
- Last inspection: inspection type not recorded, January 13, 1991; 19 hours since
- Maximum gross weight: 3,400 lb
- Seats: 7
- Landing gear: retractable
- Engine: Lycoming I0540 (piston); 0 hours total
The flight
- Departed from: ONT Ontario CA at 4:48 pm
- Destination: CRQ Carlsbad CA
- Flight plan: VFR
- Runway 0
Weather at the time
- Light: dawn
- Wind: from 090° at 10 knots
- Visibility: 20 statute miles
- Sky: broken clouds at 15,000 ft; scat at 3,000 ft
- Temperature: 0°F (-18°C), dew point 0°F (-18°C)
- Observation at 7:45 pm from FUL, 8 miles away
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.