Piper PA-20-135 accident near Fort Bidwell, California, August 16, 1992
On August 16, 1992 at about 4:45 pm local time, a Piper PA-20-135, registered N1974A, was destroyed in an accident near Fort Bidwell, California. It was a personal flight under general aviation rules (Part 91). 2 people were killed and 1 person was seriously injured. The weather was visual conditions (good weather).
The NTSB's probable cause their words, unchanged
AN INADVERTENT STALL WHILE MANEUVERING. CONTRIBUTING TO THE ACCIDENT WAS PILOT'S DIVERTED ATTENTION.
Source: NTSB aviation accident database, copy made October 5, 2026. Docket and reports at the NTSB.
What the record shows
- Date
- August 16, 1992 · about 4:45 pm local time
- Place
- Fort Bidwell, California · map
- Type
- Accident
- Injuries
- 2 people were killed and 1 person was seriously injured.
- Weather
- visual conditions (good weather)
- Aircraft
- Piper PA-20-135 · all PA-20-135s on the register
- Registration
- N1974A · registry record · serial 20-883
- Damage
- Destroyed
- Flight
- Personal flight · general aviation rules (Part 91)
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
A PIPER PA 20-135 COLLIDED WITH UPWARD SLOPING TERRAIN. THE PILOT TOLD A FIREMAN, THAT HE WAS SEARCHING FOR A HUNTING AREA IN THE REGION AND SAW A HERD OF ANTELOPE. HE TURNED THE AIRPLANE TO TRACK THE HERD AND SUBSEQUENTLY STALLED THE AIRPLANE IN THE TURN.
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
- Flight time: 470 hours in all; 372 in this make and model; 7 in the last 90 days; 3 in the last 30 days
- Medical certificate: Class 2 (valid medical--no waivers/lim.)
- Seat: left
The aircraft
- Last inspection: annual inspection, September 10, 1991
- Maximum gross weight: 1,950 lb
- Seats: 4
- Landing gear: fixed
- Engine: Lycoming O-290-D2 (piston); 0 hours total
- Fire on the ground
The flight
- Departed from: O59 Cedarville CA at 4:40 pm
- Destination: O59
- Flight plan: none
- Runway 0
Weather at the time
- Light: daylight
- Wind: from 200° at 3 knots
- Visibility: 25 statute miles
- Sky: scat at 12,000 ft
- Temperature: 77°F (25°C), dew point 55°F (13°C)
- Observation at 5:29 pm from 4LW, 33 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.