Piper PA-28-161 accident near Devore, California, July 31, 1994
On July 31, 1994 at about 2:17 am local time, a Piper PA-28-161, registered N2500Y, was destroyed in an accident near Devore, California. It was an instructional flight under general aviation rules (Part 91). No one was hurt; 1 person was on board or involved. The weather was visual conditions (good weather).
The NTSB's probable cause their words, unchanged
was the failure of the pilot to follow checklist and emergency procedures, which resulted in an improper decision to land on a dirt road within two miles of an airport.
Source: NTSB aviation accident database, copy made October 5, 2026. Docket and reports at the NTSB.
What the record shows
- Date
- July 31, 1994 · about 2:17 am local time
- Place
- Devore, California · map
- Type
- Accident
- Injuries
- No one was hurt; 1 person was on board or involved.
- Weather
- visual conditions (good weather)
- Aircraft
- Piper PA-28-161 · all PA-28-161s on the register
- Registration
- N2500Y · registry record · serial 28-8516073
- Damage
- Destroyed
- Flight
- Instructional flight · general aviation rules (Part 91)
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
During cruise flight and within 5 minutes, the pilot's number one radio quit, followed by the number two radio, and then the transponder. He became uncertain about his position and was concerned about decreasing visibility and impending darkness. He began a descent and followed a freeway. He stated that all the right side panel instruments then 'went out,' followed 2 minutes later by all of the left side panel instruments. He flew through a valley, saw the words 'San Bernardino' on a building, and concluded that he was east of track. He saw an airport for a precautionary landing, but thought that the runway was not long enough. He then saw a dirt road near the freeway and choose it instead. He was concerned about stalling, so he added 10 knots to his approach speed. The pilot braked hard to avoid going into an intersection, struck a wooden pole, and veered off the road into a ditch. The operator reported that the alternator had 'gone off-line.'
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: student
- Flight time: 114 hours in all; 114 in this make and model; 16 in the last 90 days; 9 in the last 30 days; 33 as pilot in command
- Medical certificate: Class 3 (valid medical--no waivers/lim.)
- Seat: left
The aircraft
- Airframe total time: 4,749 hours
- Last inspection: approved inspection programme, July 26, 1994; 13 hours since
- Maximum gross weight: 2,440 lb
- Seats: 4
- Landing gear: fixed
- Engine: Lycoming O-320-D3G (piston); 0 hours total
The flight
- Departed from: LAS Las Vegas NV
- Destination: VNY Van Nuys CA
- Flight plan: VFR
- Runway 0
Weather at the time
- Light: daylight
- Wind: from 250° at 12 knots
- Visibility: 15 statute miles
- Sky: clear
- Temperature: 79°F (26°C), dew point 61°F (16°C)
- Altimeter: 29.00 inHg
- Observation at 2:45 am from ONT, 14 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.