Piper PA-30 accident near Brea, California, November 15, 1993
On November 15, 1993 at about 7:53 pm local time, a Piper PA-30, registered N8238Y, was destroyed in an accident near Brea, California. It was a personal flight under general aviation rules (Part 91). 1 person was killed. The weather was visual conditions (good weather).
The NTSB's probable cause their words, unchanged
THE PILOT'S CHOICE OF AN INADEQUATE CRUISE ALTITUDE OVER ROLLING HILL TERRAIN WHICH RESULTED IN AN IN-FLIGHT COLLISION WITH HELIUM BALLOONS AND AN IN-FLIGHT LOSS OF CONTROL FOR UNDETERMINED REASONS. A FACTOR IN THE ACCIDENT WAS THE PILOT'S INADEQUATE VISUAL OUTLOOK.
Source: NTSB aviation accident database, copy made October 5, 2026. Docket and reports at the NTSB.
What the record shows
- Date
- November 15, 1993 · about 7:53 pm local time
- Place
- Brea, California
- Type
- Accident
- Injuries
- 1 person was killed.
- Weather
- visual conditions (good weather)
- Aircraft
- Piper PA-30 · all PA-30s on the register
- Registration
- N8238Y · no longer on the register · serial 1364
- Damage
- Destroyed
- Flight
- Personal flight · general aviation rules (Part 91)
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
THE AIRPLANE WAS OBSERVED FLYING OVER ROLLING HILL TERRAIN AT A LOW ALTITUDE WHEN IT ENCOUNTERED A BUNDLE OF HELIUM BALLOONS. A POPPING NOISE WAS HEARD FOLLOWED BY THE AIRPLANE ENTERING A VERTICAL DIVE WHICH CONTINUED TO GROUND IMPACT. THE AIRPLANE STRUCK THE GROUND IN A 75-DEGREE NOSE-DOWN ATTITUDE SPREADING THE WRECKAGE IN A DIRECTION OPPOSITE THE FLIGHT PATH BEFORE ENCOUNTERING THE BALLOONS. THE AIRCRAFT DISINTEGRATED ON IMPACT AND THERE WAS NO EVIDENCE OF MECHANICAL FAILURE OR MALFUNCTION FOUND DURING THE WRECKAGE EXAMINATION.
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: commercial pilot, private
- Ratings: multi-engine land; single-engine land; instrument: airplane
- Flight time: 4,000 hours in all; 100 in this make and model
- Medical certificate: Class 2 (valid medical--w/ waivers/lim.)
- Seat: left
The aircraft
- Last inspection: annual inspection, June 24, 1993
- Maximum gross weight: 3,600 lb
- Seats: 6
- Landing gear: retractable
- Engine: Lycoming IO-320-C1A (piston); 0 hours total
- Fire on the ground
The flight
- Departed from: FUL Fullerton CA at 7:15 pm
- Flight plan: none
- Runway 0
Weather at the time
- Light: daylight
- Wind: from 180° at 5 knots
- Visibility: 35 statute miles
- Sky: clear
- Temperature: 70°F (21°C), dew point 27°F (-3°C)
- Altimeter: 30.00 inHg
- Observation at 6:46 pm from FUL, 10 miles away
Injuries
| Fatal | Serious | Minor | None | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Crew | 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.
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.