Piper PA-28 accident near Big Bear, California, December 31, 1992
On December 31, 1992 at about 3:30 am local time, a Piper PA-28, registered N129AB, was substantially damaged in an accident near Big Bear, California (Big Bear Muni airport). It was a personal 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 PILOT'S FAILURE TO MAINTAIN DIRECTIONAL CONTROL OF THE AIRCRAFT AFTER TOUCHDOWN.
Source: NTSB aviation accident database, copy made October 5, 2026. Docket and reports at the NTSB.
What the record shows
- Date
- December 31, 1992 · about 3:30 am local time
- Place
- Big Bear, California · Big Bear Muni · map
- Type
- Accident
- Injuries
- No one was hurt; 2 people were on board or involved.
- Weather
- visual conditions (good weather)
- Aircraft
- Piper PA-28 · all PA-28s on the register
- Registration
- N129AB · registry record · serial 28-7911303
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Personal flight · general aviation rules (Part 91)
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
THE PILOT SAID THAT WHILE ON FINAL APPROACH HE MADE A CORRECTION TO THE LEFT BECAUSE THE AIRCRAFT HAD DRIFTED TO THE RIGHT OF THE CENTERLINE. THE PILOT FURTHER REPORTED THAT JUST AFTER TOUCHDOWN THE AIRCRAFT VEERED TO THE LEFT, RAN OFF THE LEFT SIDE OF THE RUNWAY AND COLLIDED WITH A SNOW BANK. THE PILOT NOTED THAT AFTER THE ACCIDENT HE OBSERVED SNOW ON THE RUNWAY 'AT ABOUT OUR POINT OF ENTRY.' THE PILOT OF A PRECEDING AIRCRAFT REPORTED THAT THE RUNWAY WAS DRY WHEN HE LANDED.
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; instrument: airplane
- Flight time: 618 hours in all; 321 in this make and model; 11 in the last 90 days; 3 in the last 30 days; 568 as pilot in command
- Medical certificate: Class 2 (valid medical--no waivers/lim.)
- Seat: left
The aircraft
- Airframe total time: 3,083 hours
- Last inspection: annual inspection, October 1, 1992; 14 hours since
- Maximum gross weight: 3,000 lb
- Seats: 4
- Landing gear: fixed
- Engine: Lycoming O-540-J3A5D (piston); 0 hours total
The flight
- Departed from: EMT El Monte CA at 2:40 am
- Flight plan: none
- Runway 8, 5,850 ft by 75 ft
Weather at the time
- Light: night, bright
- Wind: from 210° at 2 knots
- Visibility: 10 statute miles
- Sky: clear
- Temperature: 19°F (-7°C), dew point 18°F (-8°C)
- Altimeter: 30.00 inHg
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.
Other NTSB records under N129AB the same tail number, which may have belonged to a different aircraft at the time
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.