Piper PA-32-300 accident near Truckee, California, February 15, 1993
On February 15, 1993 at about 10:45 pm local time, a Piper PA-32-300, registered N15267, was destroyed in an accident near Truckee, California. It was a personal flight under general aviation rules (Part 91). 4 people were killed. The weather was instrument conditions (cloud, fog or low visibility).
The NTSB's probable cause their words, unchanged
THE PILOT'S CONTINUED VFR FLIGHT INTO INSTRUMENT METEOROLOGICAL CONDITIONS. THE ADVERSE WEATHER CONDITIONS CONTRIBUTED TO THE ACCIDENT.
Source: NTSB aviation accident database, copy made October 5, 2026. Docket and reports at the NTSB.
What the record shows
- Date
- February 15, 1993 · about 10:45 pm local time
- Place
- Truckee, California
- Type
- Accident
- Injuries
- 4 people were killed.
- Weather
- instrument conditions (cloud, fog or low visibility)
- Aircraft
- Piper PA-32-300 · all PA-32-300s on the register
- Registration
- N15267 · no longer on the register · serial 32-7340028
- Damage
- Destroyed
- Flight
- Personal flight · general aviation rules (Part 91)
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
DURING HIS WEATHER BRIEFING THE PILOT WAS ADVISED THAT VFR FLIGHT WAS NOT RECOMMENDED DUE TO CLOUDS OBSCURING THE MOUNTAINS AND/OR PRECIPITATION ALONG THE ENTIRE ROUTE. WITNESSES SKIING ABOUT 3/4 MI FROM THE ACCIDENT SITE REPORTED HEARING AIRPLANE ENGINE SOUNDS OVERHEAD; THE AIRPLANE WAS NOT OBSERVED DUE TO LOW CLOUDS AND SNOW FLURRIES. THE ENGINE SOUND ABRUPTLY ENDED WITH A METALLIC THUD. THE AIRPLANE HAD IMPACTED 33 DEG UPSLOPING TERRAIN AT ABOUT 8.600 FT MSL.
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: 3,000 hours in all
- Medical certificate: Class 3 (valid medical--w/ waivers/lim.)
- Seat: left
The aircraft
- Airframe total time: 2,011 hours
- Last inspection: annual inspection, August 1, 1992; 14 hours since
- Maximum gross weight: 3,400 lb
- Seats: 6
- Landing gear: fixed
- Engine: Lycoming IO-540-KIA5 (piston); 0 hours total
The flight
- Departed from: O04 Carson City NV at 10:15 pm
- Destination: Q88 Paradise CA
- Flight plan: none
- Runway 0
Weather at the time
- Light: daylight
- Wind: from 240° at 11 knots, gusting 23
- Visibility: 30 statute miles
- Sky: broken clouds at 3,000 ft; not recorded at 3,000 ft
- Temperature: 34°F (1°C), dew point 18°F (-8°C)
- Altimeter: 29.00 inHg
- Observation at 10:45 pm from TRK, 12 miles away
Injuries
| Fatal | Serious | Minor | None | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Crew | 1 | |||
| Passengers | 3 |
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.