Piper PA-23-250 accident near Gasquet, California, May 20, 1991
On May 20, 1991 at about 2:55 am local time, a Piper PA-23-250, registered N49DB, was destroyed in an accident near Gasquet, 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 DECISION TO ATTEMPT VFR FLIGHT IN A NARROW MOUNTAIN VALLEY IN CONDITIONS OF LOW CEILINGS AND MOUNTAIN OBSCUREMENT.
Source: NTSB aviation accident database, copy made October 5, 2026. Docket and reports at the NTSB.
What the record shows
- Date
- May 20, 1991 · about 2:55 am local time
- Place
- Gasquet, California · map
- Type
- Accident
- Injuries
- 2 people were killed.
- Weather
- instrument conditions (cloud, fog or low visibility)
- Aircraft
- Piper PA-23-250 · all PA-23-250s on the register
- Registration
- N49DB · registry record · serial 27-161
- Damage
- Destroyed
- Flight
- Personal flight · general aviation rules (Part 91)
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
THE PILOT HAD DRIVEN FROM HIS HOME ALONG HIGHWAY 199 ON THE AFTERNOON OF THE ACCIDENT. THE HIGHWAY TRAVERSES THE COASTAL MOUNTAIN RANGE THROUGH A NARROW WINDING VALLEY AND IS THE MOST DIRECT ROUTE FROM GASQUET TO YREKA. THE PILOT WAS GOING TO FLY THE AIRCRAFT TO YREKA FOR AN ANNUAL INSPECTION. THE PILOT DID NOT OBTAIN A PREFLIGHT WEATHER BRIEFING. A PILOT WITNESS AT THE AIRPORT SAID THE AIRCRAFT DEPARTED ON RUNWAY 6 THEN MAINTAINED ABOUT 200 FEET AGL AS IT FLEW EASTBOUND OVER THE HIGHWAY. THE WEATHER WAS 600 FT OVERCAST, WITH GOOD VISIBILITY BENEATH. ANOTHER WITNESS WAS DRIVING ON THE HIGHWAY WHEN THE AIRCRAFT OVERFLEW HIM JUST BELOW THE CLOUDS AT 700 FT AGL. THE BASES OF THE CLOUDS WERE BELOW THE TOPS OF THE SURROUNDING MOUNTAIN PEAKS. THE ACCIDENT SITE IS ON THE WESTERN SLOPES OF A 2,800 FT TALL COASTAL MOUNTAIN, LOCATED ADJACENT TO AND SOUTH OF THE HIGHWAY. THE ELEV OF THE SITE IS ABOUT 1,900 FT MSL. IMPACT MARKS AND DAMAGE TO TREES INDICATED THE AIRCRAFT STRUCK THE TREES AND THE STEEP MTN SLOPE IN A LEVEL TO SLIGHT CLIMB ATTITUDE WITH LITTLE BANK ANGLE. THE LAST ENTRY RECORDED IN THE PILOTS LOGBOOK WAS DATED JANUARY 2, 1990. ON THE PILOTS APPLICATION FOR HIS MEDICAL CERTIFICATE ON MAY 1, 1991, HE REPORTED THAT HE HAD NOT FLOWN FOR THE PRECEDING SIX MONTHS.
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: commercial pilot
- Ratings: multi-engine land; single-engine land; instrument: airplane
- Flight time: 1,300 hours in all
- Medical certificate: Class 3 (valid medical--w/ waivers/lim.)
- Seat: unk
The aircraft
- Last inspection: inspection type not recorded, January 2, 2000
- Maximum gross weight: 4,800 lb
- Seats: 5
- Landing gear: retractable
- Engine: Lycoming O-540-A1B5 (piston); 0 hours total
- Fire on the ground
The flight
- Departed from: 009 Gasquet CA at 2:50 am
- Destination: 105 Yreka CA
- Flight plan: none
- Runway 0
Weather at the time
- Light: dusk
- Wind: from 330° at 8 knots
- Visibility: 15 statute miles
- Sky: overcast at 700 ft; not recorded
- 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.