Piper PA-28-140 accident near Holtville, California, December 28, 1994
On December 28, 1994 at about 2:23 am local time, a Piper PA-28-140, registered N4647R, was destroyed in an accident near Holtville, California (Imperial County Airport). It was a business 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 pilot's becoming lost/disoriented during a night cross- country flight at a time the flight was in a critical low fuel state, and his failure to maintain aircraft control during a go-around from an aborted precautionary landing. Factors in the accident were: 1) the pilot's inadequate inflight fuel consumption calculations; 2) his failure to refuel the aircraft; 3) his failure to use all available FAA resources once the critical flight state became apparent; 4) spatial disorientation; and 5) darkness.
Source: NTSB aviation accident database, copy made October 5, 2026. Docket and reports at the NTSB.
What the record shows
- Date
- December 28, 1994 · about 2:23 am local time
- Place
- Holtville, California · Imperial County Airport · map
- Type
- Accident
- Injuries
- 2 people were killed.
- Weather
- visual conditions (good weather)
- Aircraft
- Piper PA-28-140 · all PA-28-140s on the register
- Registration
- N4647R · registry record · serial 28-21401
- Damage
- Destroyed
- Flight
- Business flight · general aviation rules (Part 91)
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
WITNESSES HEARD THE ACCIDENT PILOT CALLING ON THE UNICOM FREQUENCY. HE SOUNDED AS THOUGH HE WAS HAVING DIFFICULTY LOCATING THE AIRPORT, SO ANOTHER PILOT IN HIS VICINITY SUGGESTED THAT THE ACCIDENT PILOT FOLLOW HIS AIRCRAFT TO THE AIRPORT. THE ACCIDENT PILOT AGREED, BUT AFTER THE OTHER PILOT ARRIVED AT THE AIRPORT THE ACCIDENT PILOT STILL FAILED TO LAND. WITNESSES HEARD HIM SAY THAT HE WAS LOW ON FUEL AND THAT HE WOULD HAVE TO DO SOMETHING. THE PILOT SAID HE COULD NOT FIND THE AIRPORT, BUT WOULD LAND ON THE HIGHWAY IF NECESSARY. THE PILOT REPORTED THAT HE WAS SWITCHING TANKS FOLLOWED BY 'WE'RE GOING TO CRASH, WE'RE GOING TO CRASH, WE'RE CRASHING.' A WITNESS REPORTED THAT THE AIRCRAFT ATTEMPTED A LANDING ON THE INTERSTATE, BUT THEN BEGAN A CLIMBING RIGHT TURN UNTIL IT BEGAN A DESCENT AND CRASHED. THE WITNESS SPOTTED FLAMES AND IMMEDIATELY RAN TO THE LOCATION. HE DESCRIBED THE WEATHER AT THE ACCIDENT SITE AS CLEAR BUT VERY DARK.
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: private
- Ratings: single-engine land
- Flight time: 5,000 hours in all
- Medical certificate: Class 3 (valid medical--w/ waivers/lim.)
- Seat: left
The aircraft
- Last inspection: annual inspection, August 2, 1994
- Maximum gross weight: 2,150 lb
- Seats: 4
- Landing gear: fixed
- Engine: Lycoming O-360-A1A (piston); 0 hours total
- Fire on the ground
The flight
- Departed from: PAO Palo Alto CA at 10:00 pm
- Destination: YUM Yuma AZ
- Flight plan: none
- Runway 32, 5,304 ft by 100 ft
Weather at the time
- Light: night, dark
- Wind: from 350° at 5 knots
- Visibility: 0.1 statute miles
- Sky: not recorded
- Temperature: 52°F (11°C), dew point 52°F (11°C)
- Altimeter: 30.00 inHg
- Observation at 2:37 am from IPL, 22 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.