Piper PA-34-200T accident near Pine Valley, California, December 8, 1991
On December 8, 1991 at about 7:00 pm local time, a Piper PA-34-200T, registered N36506, was destroyed in an accident near Pine Valley, California. It was a personal flight under general aviation rules (Part 91). 1 person was killed and 1 person had minor injuries. The weather was visual conditions (good weather).
The NTSB's probable cause their words, unchanged
THE PILOT'S FAILURE TO MONITOR THE PROPER ALTITUDE OVER OBSERABLE RISING TERRAIN. A CONTRIBUTING FACTOR WAS THE PILOT'S ENCOUNTER WITH A STRONG DOWNDRAFT.
Source: NTSB aviation accident database, copy made October 5, 2026. Docket and reports at the NTSB.
What the record shows
- Date
- December 8, 1991 · about 7:00 pm local time
- Place
- Pine Valley, California
- Type
- Accident
- Injuries
- 1 person was killed and 1 person had minor injuries.
- Weather
- visual conditions (good weather)
- Aircraft
- Piper PA-34-200T · all PA-34-200Ts on the register
- Registration
- N36506 · no longer on the register · serial 34-7870339
- Damage
- Destroyed
- Flight
- Personal flight · general aviation rules (Part 91)
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
ACCORDING TO THE COMMERCIAL PILOT, DURING THE INITIAL PORTION OF HIS DAYTIME CROSS COUNTRY FLIGHT HE PLANNED TO FLY BENEATH THE BASE OF THE TERMINAL CONTROL AREA (TCA). AFTER CLEARING THE TCA'S LATERAL BOUNDARY, THE PILOT ENCOUNTERED TURBULENCE AND INITIATED A CLIMB FROM HIS 4700 FOOT CRUISE ALTITUDE TO 7500 FEET MSL. UPON REACHING 5300 FEET MSL, A STRONG DOWNDRAFT WAS ENCOUNTERED. THE AIRPLANE LOST ALTITUDE AND COLLIDED WITH A 4800 FOOT MSL HILL.
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: 931 hours in all; 465 in this make and model; 3 in the last 90 days; 1 in the last 30 days; 795 as pilot in command
- Medical certificate: Class 3 (valid medical--w/ waivers/lim.)
- Seat: left
The aircraft
- Airframe total time: 742 hours
- Last inspection: annual inspection, August 8, 1991; 5 hours since
- Maximum gross weight: 4,570 lb
- Seats: 6
- Landing gear: retractable
- Engine: Continental LTSI0-360-EB1 (piston); 0 hours total
The flight
- Departed from: SEE San Diego CA at 6:25 pm
- Destination: FFZ Mesa AZ
- Flight plan: none
- Runway 0
Weather at the time
- Light: daylight
- Visibility: 15 statute miles
- Sky: broken clouds at 1,000 ft; clear
- 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.