Piper PA-31 accident near Columbia, California, February 1, 1993
On February 1, 1993 at about 6:30 am local time, a Piper PA-31, registered N16SC, was substantially damaged in an accident near Columbia, California (Columbia airport). It was a business flight under general aviation rules (Part 91). No one was hurt; 3 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 A PROPER GLIDEPATH WHILE ON SHORT FINAL APPROACH. A FACTOR IN THE ACCIDENT WAS THE DARK NIGHT LIGHTING CONDITIONS WHICH MAY HAVE AFFECTED THE PILOT'S PERCEPTUAL AWARENESS OF THE AIRPORT ENVIRONMENT AND THE CUES FOR A PROPER VISUAL APPROACH SLOPE GUIDANCE.
Source: NTSB aviation accident database, copy made November 2, 2026. Docket and reports at the NTSB.
What the record shows
- Date
- February 1, 1993 · about 6:30 am local time · cases in 1993
- Place
- Columbia, California · Columbia · cases near this airport · map
- Type
- Accident
- Injuries
- No one was hurt; 3 people were on board or involved.
- Weather
- visual conditions (good weather)
- Aircraft
- Piper PA-31 · all PA-31s on the register
- Registration
- N16SC · registry record · serial 31-639
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Business flight · general aviation rules (Part 91)
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
THE PILOT SAID THAT HE TURNED ON A ONE TO ONE AND ONE HALF MILE BASE FOR RUNWAY 35 AND KEYED HIS MICROPHONE TO ACTIVATE THE PILOT CONTROLLED LIGHTING SYSTEM. THE PILOT SAID THAT ON FINAL APPROACH HE NOTICED THAT THE VASI LIGHTS WERE NOT OPERATING. HE FURTHER REPORTED THAT EVERYTHING SEEMED FINE ON FINAL APPROACH UNTIL ABOUT 200 FEET AGL WHEN HE SAID HE BECAME AWARE OF A LOSS IN ALTITUDE. THE PILOT STATED THAT HE BEGAN APPLYING POWER TO CORRECT THE SITUATION AND THEN OBSERVED A TREE TOP PASS THE COPILOTS WINDOW. EXAMINATION OF THE AIRCRAFT REVEALED THAT THE RIGHT WING HAD COLLIDED WITH THE TREE. AN FAA INSPECTOR STATED THAT THE TREE CONTACTED BY THE AIRCRAFT WAS ABOUT 30 FEET TALL AND LOCATED ABOUT 600 FEET FROM THE APPROACH END OF 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: helicopter; instructor: instrument airplane; instructor: instrument helicopter; instrument: airplane; instrument: helicopter; rotorcraft: helicopter
- Flight time: 9,601 hours in all; 663 in this make and model; 7,055 as pilot in command; 1,860 on instruments
- Medical certificate: Class 2 (valid medical--w/ waivers/lim.)
- Seat: left
The aircraft
- Airframe total time: 5,108 hours
- Last inspection: 100-hour inspection, December 20, 1992; 16 hours since
- Maximum gross weight: 7,500 lb
- Seats: 3
- Landing gear: retractable
- Engine: Lycoming TIO-540-A2B (piston); 0 hours total
The flight
- Departed from: P06 Bullhead City AZ at 3:00 am
- Flight plan: VFR
- Runway 35, 4,060 ft by 75 ft
Weather at the time
- Light: night, dark
- Wind: from 080° at 4 knots
- Visibility: 10 statute miles
- Sky: clear
- Temperature: 37°F (3°C), dew point 0°F (-18°C)
- Altimeter: 30.00 inHg
Injuries
| Fatal | Serious | Minor | None | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Crew | 1 | |||
| Passengers | 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.
Other NTSB records under N16SC the same tail number, which may have belonged to a different aircraft at the time
Connections how this case links to the rest of the register
- N16SC on the register today · the tail number may have moved to another aircraft since
- Piper PA-31 Navajo and Chieftain 934 registered today · the model family and its accident history
- Piper 44,840 aircraft on the register
- Engine: Lycoming TIO-540-A2B 4 aircraft carry this series today · as the NTSB recorded it
- Columbia Airport · nearest airport
- Accidents and incidents in California 9,080 since 1982 · 1,096 in the last ten years
- California 28,112 aircraft registered
- Other NTSB records under N16SC 1 records · the number may have belonged to another aircraft at the time
The whole map of how records connect · these connections as data: /graph/accident/LAX93LA109.json.
The bigger picture in Aviation Analytics: accidents over time since 1982, by model, by phase of flight and conditions, by place and on the map.
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 does not name anyone involved, its policy at this time. A preliminary report can change; the final report usually follows one to two years later, and the page is refreshed when it does.