Piper PA28-235 accident near Havasu Lake, California, March 20, 1992
On March 20, 1992 at about 6:37 pm local time, a Piper PA28-235, registered N8840W, was substantially damaged in an accident near Havasu Lake, California (Chemeuevi Valley airport). It was an instructional flight under general aviation rules (Part 91). No one was hurt; 2 people were on board or involved. The weather was visual conditions (good weather).
The NTSB's probable cause their words, unchanged
THE DUAL STUDENT'S FAILURE TO MAINTAIN DIRECTIONAL CONTROL, THE CFI'S IMPROPER SUPERVISION OF THE FLIGHT, AND THE CFI'S FAILURE TO PERFORM THE NECESSARY REMEDIAL ACTION. CONTRIBUTING TO THIS ACCIDENT WAS THE DUAL STUDENT'S IMPROPER USE OF THE BRAKES.
Source: NTSB aviation accident database, copy made October 5, 2026. Docket and reports at the NTSB.
What the record shows
- Date
- March 20, 1992 · about 6:37 pm local time
- Place
- Havasu Lake, California · Chemeuevi Valley · map
- Type
- Accident
- Injuries
- No one was hurt; 2 people were on board or involved.
- Weather
- visual conditions (good weather)
- Aircraft
- Piper PA28-235 · all PA28-235s on the register
- Registration
- N8840W · registry record · serial 10389
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Instructional flight · general aviation rules (Part 91)
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
AFTER CONDUCTING SOME LOCAL AREA TRAINING MANEUVERS THE CFI INSTRUCTED THE DUAL STUDENT/AIRPLANE OWNER TO PROCEED TO THE AIRPORT TO PRACTICE SOME TAKEOFFS AND LANDINGS. ON THE FIRST LANDING THE AIRPLANE TOUCHED DOWN NORMALLY, SWERVED TO THE LEFT WHEN THE HAND BRAKE WAS APPLIED, AND EXITED THE RUNWAY.
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 multi-engine; instructor: airplane single-engine; instructor: instrument airplane; instrument: airplane
- Flight time: 30,925 hours in all; 925 in this make and model; 28 in the last 90 days; 6 in the last 30 days; 30,000 as pilot in command; 4,450 on instruments
- Medical certificate: Class 2 (valid medical--w/ waivers/lim.)
- Seat: rgt
The aircraft
- Last inspection: annual inspection, March 20, 1992
- Maximum gross weight: 2,900 lb
- Seats: 4
- Landing gear: fixed
- Engine: Lycoming O-540-B4B5 (piston); 0 hours total
The flight
- Departed from: LHU Lake Havasu AZ at 5:30 pm
- Flight plan: none
- Runway 34, 5,000 ft by 80 ft
- A second pilot was aboard
Weather at the time
- Light: daylight
- Visibility: 50 statute miles
- Sky: clear
- Temperature: 75°F (24°C), dew point 0°F (-18°C)
- Altimeter: 29.00 inHg
Injuries
| Fatal | Serious | Minor | None | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Crew | 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.