Amateur-built DHC-6-200 accident near Perris, California, April 22, 1992
On April 22, 1992 at about 6:09 pm local time, a amateur-built DHC-6-200, registered N141PV, was destroyed in an accident near Perris, California (Perris Valley airport). It was a skydiving flight under general aviation rules (Part 91). 16 people were killed and 6 people were seriously injured. The weather was visual conditions (good weather).
The NTSB's probable cause their words, unchanged
THE PILOT-IN-COMMAND'S INADVERTENT FEATHERING OF THE WRONG PROPELLER FOLLOWING AN ENGINE POWER LOSS, AND THE FAILURE OF THE OPERATOR TO ASSURE THAT THE PILOT WAS PROVIDED WITH ADEQUATE TRAINING IN THE AIRPLANE. FACTORS RELATED TO THE ACCIDENT WERE: WATER CONTAMINATION OF FUEL IN THE AIRPORT STORAGE TANKS, THE OPERATOR'S LACK OF FUEL QUALITY CONTROL PROCEDURES, IMPROPER FUEL SERVICING, IMPROPER PREFLIGHT BY THE PILOT(S), AND EXCEEDING THE GROSS WEIGHT/FORWARD CG LIMITS OF THE AIRPLANE.
Source: NTSB aviation accident database, copy made October 5, 2026. Docket and reports at the NTSB.
What the record shows
- Date
- April 22, 1992 · about 6:09 pm local time
- Place
- Perris, California · Perris Valley
- Type
- Accident
- Injuries
- 16 people were killed and 6 people were seriously injured.
- Weather
- visual conditions (good weather)
- Aircraft
- Amateur-built DHC-6-200
- Registration
- N141PV · no longer on the register · serial 141
- Damage
- Destroyed
- Flight
- Skydiving flight · general aviation rules (Part 91)
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
THE GROUND LOADER HAD FUELED THE AIRPLANE FROM THE AIRPORT FUEL TRUCK. HE STATED THAT THE FLIGHT CREW DID NOT SUMP THE FUEL TANKS AFTER THEY WERE FUELED. IMMEDIATELY AFTER TAKEOFF THE RIGHT ENGINE LOST POWER, THE RIGHT WING LOWERED TO ABOUT 90 DEG, AND THE AIRPLANE IMPACTED THE GROUND ADJACENT TO THE RUNWAY. THEN FORWARD FUEL TANK, WHICH PROVIDES FUEL TO THE RIGHT ENGINE, WAS FOUND TO CONTAIN ABOUT 8 GALS OF A HEAVILY CONTAMINATED MIXTURE COMPOSED OF WATER, AN EMULSIFYING AGENT, AND BACTERIAL GROWTH. THE FUEL FROM THE AIRPORT FUEL TRUCK AND MAIN UNDERGROUND TANK CONTAINED THE SAME MIXTURE. FUEL HAD BEEN TRANSFERED FROM THE UNDERGROUND TANK TO THE TRUCK ON THE EVENING PRECEDING THE ACCIDENT. THE LEFT PROPELLER CONTROL WAS FOUND SEIZED IN THE FEATHER POSITION; LEFT PROPELLER BLADES IN THE NEAR-FEATHER POSITION.
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: flight instructor, commercial pilot
- Ratings: multi-engine land; single-engine land; instructor: airplane multi-engine; instructor: airplane single-engine; instrument: airplane
- Flight time: 4,300 hours in all; 100 in this make and model
- Medical certificate: Class 1 (valid medical--w/ waivers/lim.)
- Seat: left
The aircraft
- Airframe total time: 29,391 hours
- Last inspection: annual inspection, February 2, 1992; 50 hours since
- Maximum gross weight: 11,579 lb
- Seats: 24
- Landing gear: fixed
- Engine: P&W PT6A-20A (turboprop); 0 hours total
- Operator: Perris Valley Aviation Svcs
The flight
- Flight plan: none
- Runway 15, 5,100 ft by 65 ft
- A second pilot was aboard
Weather at the time
- Light: daylight
- Visibility: 15 statute miles
- Sky: clear
- Temperature: 70°F (21°C), dew point 0°F (-18°C)
Injuries
| Fatal | Serious | Minor | None | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Crew | 2 | |||
| Passengers | 14 | 6 |
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.