Piper PA-31-350 accident near Frazier Park, California, March 4, 1994
On March 4, 1994 at about 7:46 am local time, a Piper PA-31-350, registered N78DE, was destroyed in an accident near Frazier Park, California. It was a flight of an unrecorded kind under charter and air-taxi rules (Part 135). 1 person was killed. The weather was visual conditions (good weather).
The NTSB's probable cause their words, unchanged
the pilot's failure to select a cruise altitude which would ensure adequate terrain clearance. Contributing factors related to the dark, nighttime condition and to the pilot's lack of attentiveness.
Source: NTSB aviation accident database, copy made October 5, 2026. Docket and reports at the NTSB.
What the record shows
- Date
- March 4, 1994 · about 7:46 am local time
- Place
- Frazier Park, California · map
- Type
- Accident
- Injuries
- 1 person was killed.
- Weather
- visual conditions (good weather)
- Aircraft
- Piper PA-31-350 · all PA-31-350s on the register
- Registration
- N78DE · registry record · serial 31-7852087
- Damage
- Destroyed
- Flight
- Flight of an unrecorded kind · charter and air-taxi rules (Part 135)
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
THE PILOT ELECTED NOT TO USE THE STORED INSTRUMENT FLIGHT PLAN, AND HE DEPARTED WITH A SPECIAL VFR CLEARANCE. THE FLIGHT WAS BEING FOLLOWED BY RADAR. AFTER REACHING VISUAL FLIGHT CONDITIONS, THE PILOT PROCEEDED TOWARD HIS INTENDED DESTINATION AND CLIMBED TO 8,500 FEET. MINIMUM SAFE ALTITUDE WARNING SERVICE WAS AVAILABLE, BUT NOT REQUESTED BY THE PILOT. A REVIEW OF RADAR DATA INDICATES THAT THE AIRPLANE'S TRACK REMAINED ALMOST CONSTANT AT 300 DEGREES WITH A 160-KNOT GROUND SPEED. THE LAST RADAR HIT ON THE AIRPLANE OCCURRED ABOUT 0.3 MILES FROM WHERE THE AIRPLANE CRUISED INTO 8,500 FOOT MSL TERRAIN WHILE STILL TRACKING ALONG A NORTHWESTERLY COURSE. THE ACCIDENT OCCURRED IN DARK, NIGHTIME CONDITIONS.
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: instrument airplane; instrument: airplane
- Flight time: 3,600 hours in all; 135 in this make and model; 180 in the last 90 days; 33 in the last 30 days; 3,430 as pilot in command; 2,260 on instruments
- Medical certificate: Class 1 (valid medical--no waivers/lim.)
- Seat: unk
The aircraft
- Airframe total time: 9,136 hours
- Last inspection: approved inspection programme, March 24, 1994; 32 hours since
- Maximum gross weight: 7,000 lb
- Seats: 2
- Landing gear: retractable
- Engine: Lycoming TIO-540-J2BD (piston); 0 hours total
- Fire on the ground
- Operator: Ameriflight, INC.
The flight
- Departed from: BUR Burbank CA at 7:27 am
- Destination: OAK Oakland CA
- Runway 0
Weather at the time
- Light: night, dark
- Visibility: 10 statute miles
- Sky: clear
- Temperature: 0°F (-18°C), dew point 0°F (-18°C)
- Altimeter: 30.00 inHg
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.
Other NTSB records under N78DE 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.