Piper PA-28R-180 accident near Groveland, California, December 6, 1994
On December 6, 1994 at about 2:53 am local time, a Piper PA-28R-180, registered N4510J, was destroyed in an accident near Groveland, California (Pine Mountain Lake airport). It was a personal flight under general aviation rules (Part 91). 2 people were killed. The weather was visual conditions (good weather).
The NTSB's probable cause their words, unchanged
the failure of the pilot to maintain adequate terrain clearance during a nighttime descent into the airport over an unlighted mountainous area. Contributing to the accident was the pilot's distraction by attempting to make several cellular telephone calls during a critical phase of flight.
Source: NTSB aviation accident database, copy made October 5, 2026. Docket and reports at the NTSB.
What the record shows
- Date
- December 6, 1994 · about 2:53 am local time
- Place
- Groveland, California · Pine Mountain Lake · map
- Type
- Accident
- Injuries
- 2 people were killed.
- Weather
- visual conditions (good weather)
- Aircraft
- Piper PA-28R-180 · all PA-28R-180s on the register
- Registration
- N4510J · no longer on the register · serial 28R-30366
- Damage
- Destroyed
- Flight
- Personal flight · general aviation rules (Part 91)
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
THE ACCIDENT SITE IS AT 3,440 FEET IN MOUNTAINOUS TERRAIN. THE NONINSTRUMENT-RATED PILOT FLEW REGULARLY INTO THE PINE MOUNTAIN AIRPORT. RECORDED RADAR DATA DISCLOSED A SECONDARY MODE C BEACON TARGET THAT DISAPPEARED WITHIN 1/4 MILE OF THE ACCIDENT SITE AT THE ESTIMATED TIME OF THE CRASH. THE TARGET FLEW ON A RELATIVELY CONSTANT NORTHEASTERLY HEADING WHILE NORTHWEST OF THE AIRPORT. THE AIRCRAFT BEGAN A DESCENT FROM APPROXIMATELY 5,700 FEET AND THE LAST RADAR RETURN SHOWED THE AIRCRAFT HAD DESCENDED TO 3,800 FEET MSL. A PILOT AT THE AIRPORT STATED THAT WEATHER HAD BEEN 'UP AND DOWN' ALL DAY WITH LOW CLOUD LAYERS MOVING THROUGH THE AREA. HE STATED THAT THERE WERE VERY FEW GROUND LIGHTS IN THE AREA OF THE CRASH AND IT WOULD BE DIFFICULT TO SEE THE SURROUNDING TERRAIN ON A DARK NIGHT. CELLULAR TELEPHONE RECORDS DISCLOSED THAT THE PILOT MADE THREE PHONE CALLS DURING THE LAST 10 MINUTES OF THE FLIGHT WITH ONE UNCOMPLETED CALL RECORDED ABOUT THE TIME OF THE ACCIDENT. THE NIGHT WAS DARK WITH NO MOON.
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
- Ratings: multi-engine land; single-engine land; instrument: airplane
- Flight time: 5,540 hours in all; 2,343 in this make and model; 70 in the last 90 days; 25 in the last 30 days; 5,540 as pilot in command
- Medical certificate: Class 2 (valid medical--no waivers/lim.)
- Seat: left
The aircraft
- Airframe total time: 4,757 hours
- Last inspection: annual inspection, October 1, 1994; 50 hours since
- Maximum gross weight: 2,500 lb
- Seats: 4
- Landing gear: retractable
- Engine: Lycoming IO-360-B1E (piston); 0 hours total
The flight
- Departed from: SJC San Jose CA at 1:15 am
- Destination: Q68
- Flight plan: none
- Runway 9, 3,625 ft by 50 ft
- A second pilot was aboard
Weather at the time
- Light: night, dark
- Wind: from 120° at 5 knots
- Visibility: 15 statute miles
- Sky: overcast at 2,500 ft; not recorded
- Temperature: 48°F (9°C), dew point 36°F (2°C)
- Altimeter: 29.00 inHg
- Observation at 2:46 am from MOD, 45 miles away
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.
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.