Piper PA-28-181 accident near Caliente, California, September 21, 1996
On September 21, 1996 at about 10:30 pm local time, a Piper PA-28-181, registered N2393W, was destroyed in an accident near Caliente, California (Shadow Mountain airport). It was an instructional flight under general aviation rules (Part 91). 3 people were killed and 1 person was seriously injured. The weather was visual conditions (good weather).
The NTSB's probable cause their words, unchanged
improper in-flight planning/decision by the flight instructor (CFI) by allowing the airplane to flying into a box canyon area, and his failure to maintain adequate airspeed, which resulted in an inadvertent stall and collision with wooded terrain. The CFI's selection of the wrong runway and the resultant tailwind were related factors.
Source: NTSB aviation accident database, copy made October 5, 2026. Docket and reports at the NTSB.
What the record shows
- Date
- September 21, 1996 · about 10:30 pm local time
- Place
- Caliente, California · Shadow Mountain · map
- Type
- Accident
- Injuries
- 3 people were killed and 1 person was seriously injured.
- Weather
- visual conditions (good weather)
- Aircraft
- Piper PA-28-181 · all PA-28-181s on the register
- Registration
- N2393W · no longer on the register · serial 28-8590068
- Damage
- Destroyed
- Flight
- Instructional flight · general aviation rules (Part 91)
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
The noncertificated dual student made a business trip with friends to a destination with a dirt airstrip. He retained a flight instructor (CFI) to provide instruction in the airplane along the route. During arrival, the CFI took control of the airplane and maneuvered to land on the east/west runway. The wind was reportedly from 290 degrees at 5 gusting 10 knots. A ground witness observed the airplane make a downwind low approach. A passenger said that the instructor circled the area to alert the student pilot's friends. The airplane was then observed to reenter the traffic pattern and land downwind. The airplane's speed was excessive and a go-around was initiated. The airplane disappeared from the ground witness' view. After the aborted landing, the airplane entered a box canyon area. Reportedly, the instructor initiated a turn between 90 and 110 degrees, and the stall warning buzzer sounded. The airplane then struck trees and crashed in a nose-down attitude. Postaccident examination of the airplane disclosed no evidence of a preimpact malfunction or failure.
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; instructor: airplane single-engine; instrument: airplane
- Flight time: 435 hours in all; 335 as pilot in command
- Medical certificate: Class 1 (valid medical--no waivers/lim.)
- Seat: rgt
The aircraft
- Airframe total time: 2,456 hours
- Last inspection: annual inspection, July 2, 1996; 66 hours since
- Maximum gross weight: 2,550 lb
- Seats: 4
- Landing gear: fixed
- Engine: Lycoming O-360-A4M (piston); 0 hours total
- Fire on the ground
- Operator: Burbank Flying Club
The flight
- Departed from: BUR Burbank CA at 9:35 pm
- Flight plan: none
- Runway 0, 3,400 ft by 30 ft
- A second pilot was aboard
Weather at the time
- Light: daylight
- Wind: from 290° at 5 knots, gusting 10
- Visibility: 10 statute miles
- Sky: clear
- Temperature: 84°F (29°C), dew point 0°F (-18°C)
Injuries
| Fatal | Serious | Minor | None | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Crew | 2 | |||
| Passengers | 1 | 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.