Piper PA-28R-200 accident near Placerville, California, April 13, 1992
On April 13, 1992 at about 2:37 am local time, a Piper PA-28R-200, registered N2968R, was destroyed in an accident near Placerville, 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 FAILURE TO MAINTAIN CONTROL OF THE AIRPLANE AND HIS IMPROPER USE OF THE FLIGHT CONTROLS WHICH ENDURED AIRFRAME LOADS THAT EXCEEDED THE AIRCRAFT'S DESIGN STRESS LIMITS. FACTORS WHICH CONTRIBUTED TO THE ACCIDENT RELATED TO THE PILOT'S ENCOUNTER WITH TURBULENCE, AND TO HIS LACK OF RECENT INSTRUMENT FLYING EXPERIENCE.
Source: NTSB aviation accident database, copy made October 5, 2026. Docket and reports at the NTSB.
What the record shows
- Date
- April 13, 1992 · about 2:37 am local time
- Place
- Placerville, California · map
- Type
- Accident
- Injuries
- 2 people were killed.
- Weather
- instrument conditions (cloud, fog or low visibility)
- Aircraft
- Piper PA-28R-200 · all PA-28R-200s on the register
- Registration
- N2968R · no longer on the register · serial 28R-35353
- Damage
- Destroyed
- Flight
- Personal flight · general aviation rules (Part 91)
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
THE PILOT RECEIVED A WEATHER BRIEFING DURING WHICH HE WAS INFORMED THAT MODERATE TURBULENCE MAY BE ENCOUNTERED ALONG THE ROUTE. THE PILOT FILED AN INSTRUMENT FLIGHT PLAN, RECEIVED HIS CLEARANCE AND TOOK OFF WITHOUT MISHAP. NO COMMUNICATION OR NAVIGATION DIFFICULITIES WERE REPORTED DURING THE AIRPLANE'S CLIMB TO 11,000 FEET. WHILE EN ROUTE, THE PILOT LIKELY ENCOUNTERED THE FORECAST TURBULENCE. THE RADAR TRACK PLOT SHOWS THE AIRPLANE INITIALLY ON COURSE. AFTER SEVERAL MINUTES, THE AIRPLANE ENTERED A RIGHT SPIRAL DESCENDING TURN. AT 19:35:58 THE AIRPLANE WAS AT 11,100 FEET. AT 19:36:53 THE AIRPLANE WAS AT 3,100 FEET AND HAD COMPLETED AT LEAST ONE 360 DEGREE TURN. PORTIONS OF THE AIRPLANE'S RIGHT WING AND STABILATOR ASSEMBLY WERE FOUND ABOUT ONE MILE FROM THE MAIN WRECKAGE. NO EVIDENCE WAS FOUND OF THE PILOT HAVING RECENTLY COMPLETED A BFR. DURING THE PREVIOUS YEAR HE HAD LOGGED ABOUT 6.9 INSTRUMENT HOURS.
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: airline transport pilot, flight instructor
- Ratings: multi-engine land; single-engine land; instructor: airplane single-engine; instructor: instrument airplane; instrument: airplane
- Flight time: 5,100 hours in all; 2,500 in this make and model; 40 in the last 90 days; 20 in the last 30 days
- Medical certificate: Class 1 (valid medical--w/ waivers/lim.)
- Seat: unk
The aircraft
- Airframe total time: 2,885 hours
- Last inspection: annual inspection, January 16, 1991; 107 hours since
- Maximum gross weight: 2,600 lb
- Seats: 4
- Landing gear: retractable
- Engine: Lycoming IO-360-CIC (piston); 0 hours total
The flight
- Departed from: MYV Marysville CA at 2:10 am
- Destination: MMH Mammoth CA
- Flight plan: IFR
- Runway 0
Weather at the time
- Light: daylight
- Wind: from 100° at 5 knots
- Visibility: 3 statute miles
- Sky: overcast at 2,000 ft; not recorded
- Temperature: 57°F (14°C), dew point 55°F (13°C)
- Altimeter: 29.00 inHg
- Observation at 1:55 am from MHR, 25 miles away
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.