Piper PA-32R-300 accident near Goleta, California, June 7, 1996
On June 7, 1996 at about 5:43 pm local time, a Piper PA-32R-300, registered N4303X, was destroyed in an accident near Goleta, California (Santa Barbara Municipal airport). It was a personal flight under general aviation rules (Part 91). 2 people were killed. The weather was instrument conditions (cloud, fog or low visibility).
The NTSB's probable cause their words, unchanged
failure of the flying pilot to maintain control of the airplane, due to spatial disorientation, which resulted in an uncontrolled descent and collision with the water. Factors relating to the accident were: the lack of recent instrument experience by the flying pilot and the lack of monitoring (and/or remedial action) by the other pilot.
Source: NTSB aviation accident database, copy made October 5, 2026. Docket and reports at the NTSB.
What the record shows
- Date
- June 7, 1996 · about 5:43 pm local time
- Place
- Goleta, California · Santa Barbara Municipal · map
- Type
- Accident
- Injuries
- 2 people were killed.
- Weather
- instrument conditions (cloud, fog or low visibility)
- Aircraft
- Piper PA-32R-300 · all PA-32R-300s on the register
- Registration
- N4303X · no longer on the register · serial 32R-7680008
- Damage
- Destroyed
- Flight
- Personal flight · general aviation rules (Part 91)
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
Two instrument-rated pilots departed for a planned 24-mile instrument flight. About 5 minutes after takeoff, one of the pilots contacted the radar controller and requested an instrument landing clearance. The controller cleared the pilot for an ILS runway 7 approach to Santa Barbara. When the airplane was about 1 mile west of the final approach fix, it had descended to 1,500 feet. The published glide slope altitude for the fix was 1,774 feet. At 1042, as the airplane was still inbound toward the final approach fix, it reversed course, then it proceeded in a westerly and then a northerly direction. Radar data showed that the airplane then descend through 1,100 feet on a northeasterly heading. A low altitude alert alarm sounded in the ATC control room, and radar contact was lost. (Note: the pilots had not reported any abnormal condition with the airplane or equipment, nor was a safety advisory (alert) transmitted to the airplane.) A witness observed that the airplane came out of clouds in a steep descent and impacted the water at a high rate of speed. He estimated the visibility was 2 miles in fog. Wreckage was recovered, and no mechanical malfunction was found. A review of the pilots' logbooks and airplane utilization records revealed that neither pilot met the FAA instrument flight currency requirements.
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; instrument: airplane
- Flight time: 559 hours in all; 168 in this make and model; 11 in the last 90 days; 3 in the last 30 days; 493 as pilot in command
- Medical certificate: Class 3 (valid medical--w/ waivers/lim.)
- Seat: unk
The aircraft
- Airframe total time: 4,809 hours
- Last inspection: annual inspection, June 16, 1995; 63 hours since
- Maximum gross weight: 3,600 lb
- Seats: 6
- Landing gear: retractable
- Engine: Lycoming IO-540-K1A5D (piston); 0 hours total
The flight
- Departed from: IZA Santa Ynez CA at 5:30 pm
- Destination: SBA
- Flight plan: IFR
- Runway 7, 6,052 ft by 150 ft
- A second pilot was aboard
Weather at the time
- Light: daylight
- Wind: from 130° at 7 knots
- Sky: overcast at 700 ft; not recorded
- Temperature: 63°F (17°C), dew point 59°F (15°C)
- Altimeter: 30.00 inHg
- Observation at 5:51 pm from SBA, 8 miles away
Injuries
| Fatal | Serious | Minor | None | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Crew | 2 |
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 N4303X 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.