Piper PA-32-301 accident near Camarillo, California, May 6, 1992
On May 6, 1992 at about 5:03 am local time, a Piper PA-32-301, registered N8408V, was destroyed in an accident near Camarillo, California (Camarillo airport). It was a personal flight under general aviation rules (Part 91). 3 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 FOLLOW THE PUBLISHED INSTRUMENT MISSED APPROACH PROCEDURE, AND HIS FAILURE TO INITIATE A TIMELY CLIMB AFTER BEING GIVEN A LOW ALTITUDE ALERT. FACTORS CONTRIBUTING TO THE ACCIDENT WERE: THE CONTROLLER'S FAILURE TO TAKE POSITIVE ACTION WHEN DRASTIC MEASURES WERE REQUIRED, THE LOW CEILING, DARK NIGHT, AND SURROUNDING MOUNTAINOUS TERRAIN.
Source: NTSB aviation accident database, copy made October 5, 2026. Docket and reports at the NTSB.
What the record shows
- Date
- May 6, 1992 · about 5:03 am local time
- Place
- Camarillo, California · Camarillo · map
- Type
- Accident
- Injuries
- 3 people were killed.
- Weather
- instrument conditions (cloud, fog or low visibility)
- Aircraft
- Piper PA-32-301 · all PA-32-301s on the register
- Registration
- N8408V · no longer on the register · serial 32-8106077
- Damage
- Destroyed
- Flight
- Personal flight · general aviation rules (Part 91)
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
THE PILOT WAS EXECUTING HIS THIRD VOR RWY 26 APCH FOLLOWING TWO EARLIER MISSED APPROACHES. INBOUND FROM THE FAF THE AIRPLANE SUDDENLY TURNED TO A SOUTHERLY DIRECTION, 90 DEG LEFT OF THE FINAL APCH COURSE, DESCENDING THRU 1,500 FT. AT AN ALTITUDE OF 1,000 FT THE PLT REPORTED EXECUTING A MISSED APPROACH, AND THE ALTITUDE CONTINUED TO DECREASE. THE CONTROLLER BROADCASTED A LOW ALTITUDE ALERT, AND THE PLT RESPONDED HE WAS CLIMBING. THE PLT TURNED LEFT TO AN EASTERLY DIRECTION, AND THE ALTITUDE HAD LOWERED TO 700 FT. THE PILOT WAS ADVISED HE WAS PROCEEDING IN THE WRONG DIRECTION, AND THE CONTROLLER STATED '...I SUGGEST YOU AH REINTERCEPT THE VOR FINAL APPROACH COURSE IF ABLE.' THE AIRPLANE IMPACTED THE MOUNTAIN AT 900 FT MSL, 6 MI EAST OF THE AIRPORT. THE PLLT LIVED 1 MI FROM THE AIRPORT, AND RECEIVED HIS FLIGHT TRAINING FROM AIRPORTS LOCAL TO HIS RESIDENCE. THE PILOT HAD EARLIER TOLD HIS CFI THAT DURING A VOR APCH TO THE AIRPORT AT CIRCLING MINIMUMS HE COULD NOT LOCATE THE ARPT & ELECTED TO LOOK FOR THE ARPT RATHER THAN EXECUTE A MISSED APPROACH.
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: 365 hours in all; 118 in this make and model; 27 in the last 90 days; 12 in the last 30 days; 200 as pilot in command
- Medical certificate: Class 2 (valid medical--w/ waivers/lim.)
- Seat: left
The aircraft
- Airframe total time: 1,388 hours
- Last inspection: annual inspection, March 18, 1992; 21 hours since
- Maximum gross weight: 3,600 lb
- Seats: 6
- Landing gear: retractable
- Engine: Lycoming IO-540-K1G5 (piston); 0 hours total
The flight
- Departed from: CNO Chino CA at 3:53 am
- Flight plan: IFR
- Runway 26, 6,010 ft by 150 ft
Weather at the time
- Light: night, dark
- Wind: from 250° at 6 knots
- Visibility: 7 statute miles
- Sky: overcast at 700 ft; not recorded
- Temperature: 61°F (16°C), dew point 54°F (12°C)
- Altimeter: 29.00 inHg
- Observation at 4:54 am from CMA, 5 miles away
Injuries
| Fatal | Serious | Minor | None | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Crew | 1 | |||
| Passengers | 2 |
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.