Piper PA 28-236 accident near Lebec, California, March 27, 1992
On March 27, 1992, a Piper PA 28-236, registered N4335N, was destroyed in an accident near Lebec, California. It was a business flight under general aviation rules (Part 91). 1 person was killed. The weather was instrument conditions (cloud, fog or low visibility).
The NTSB's probable cause their words, unchanged
THE PILOT'S DELAYED INFLIGHT DECISION TO REVERSE COURSE TO AVOID FORECAST ADVERSE WEATHER CONDITIONS. CONTRIBUTING TO THE ACCIDENT WAS ICING CONDITIONS AND LIGHTNING.
Source: NTSB aviation accident database, copy made October 5, 2026. Docket and reports at the NTSB.
What the record shows
- Date
- March 27, 1992
- Place
- Lebec, California · map
- Type
- Accident
- Injuries
- 1 person was killed.
- Weather
- instrument conditions (cloud, fog or low visibility)
- Aircraft
- Piper PA 28-236 · all PA 28-236s on the register
- Registration
- N4335N · no longer on the register · serial 84 11007
- Damage
- Destroyed
- Flight
- Business flight · general aviation rules (Part 91)
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
ABOUT 30 MIN BEFORE THE ACCIDENT, THE PLT RECEIVED AN IN-FLT WX BRIEF FROM EN ROUTE FLIGHT ADVISORY SERVICE (EFAS). THE PLT INDICATED TO THE EFAS THAT HE RECEIVED AN AIRMET REGARDING ICING CONDITIONS ALONG HIS ROUTE. THE PLT WAS THEN BRIEFED ON THUNDERSHOWERS, FREQUENT LIGHTNING CLOUD TO GND, AND PLT REPORTS OF MOD TURB AND LT MIXED ICING. THE PLT CONTINUED ON HIS FLT ROUTE AND 25 MIN AFTER HIS WX BRIEFING REPORTED AIRFRAME ICING CONDITIONS TO ATC. ATC ADVISED THE PLT OF MORE SEVERE WX AHEAD AND RECOMMENDED THE LT REVERSE COURSE. LESS THAN ONE MIN LATER, THE PLT REPORTED BEING STRUCK BY LIGHTNING. ATC AMENDED THE PLT'S CLEARANCE INSTRUCTING HIM TO REVERSE COURSE WITH A LEFT TURN HEADING 330 DEG. THE PLT READ BACK THE CLEARANCE. AFTERWARDS BOTH RADAR AND RADIO CONTACT WAS LOST. RADAR DATA REVEALED THE AIRPLANE ENTERED A LEFT TURN AND CLIMBED 200 FT. THE AIRPLANE THEN DESCENDED ABOUT 1,200 FT IN 35 SECONDS. THE ACCIDENT AIRPLANE WAS NOT EQUIPPED WITH DE-ICING SYSTEMS.
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: 1,181 hours in all; 62 in the last 90 days; 25 in the last 30 days
- Medical certificate: Class 2 (valid medical--no waivers/lim.)
- Seat: left
The aircraft
- Airframe total time: 1,131 hours
- Last inspection: annual inspection, March 1, 1992; 30 hours since
- Maximum gross weight: 3,000 lb
- Seats: 4
- Landing gear: fixed
- Engine: Lycoming O-540-J3A5D (piston); 0 hours total
- Operator: N V Corporation
The flight
- Departed from: OAK Oakland CA at 10:46 pm
- Destination: VNY Van Nuys CA
- Flight plan: VFR then IFR
- Runway 0
Weather at the time
- Light: daylight
- Wind: from 340° at 8 knots
- Visibility: 20 statute miles
- Sky: overcast at 20,000 ft; scat at 5,500 ft
- Temperature: 72°F (22°C), dew point 50°F (10°C)
- Altimeter: 29.00 inHg
- Observation at 11:52 pm from BFL, 40 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.