Piper PA-32R-301 accident near Warner Springs, California, April 4, 1999
On April 4, 1999 at about 3:31 am local time, a Piper PA-32R-301, registered N9254Q, was destroyed in an accident near Warner Springs, California. It was a personal flight under general aviation rules (Part 91). 4 people were killed. The weather was instrument conditions (cloud, fog or low visibility).
The NTSB's probable cause their words, unchanged
The pilot disregarded his weather briefing and attempted flight into areas of forecast and reported icing and moderate to severe turbulence. The airplane encountered mountain wave activity resulting in an overload condition and in-flight separation of the left wing and stabilator. Mountainous terrain, icing conditions, and turbulence were factors in the accident.
Source: NTSB aviation accident database, copy made October 5, 2026. Docket and reports at the NTSB.
What the record shows
- Date
- April 4, 1999 · about 3:31 am local time
- Place
- Warner Springs, California · map
- Type
- Accident
- Injuries
- 4 people were killed.
- Weather
- instrument conditions (cloud, fog or low visibility)
- Aircraft
- Piper PA-32R-301 · all PA-32R-301s on the register
- Registration
- N9254Q · no longer on the register · serial 3246001
- Damage
- Destroyed
- Flight
- Personal flight · general aviation rules (Part 91)
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
The airplane impacted terrain following an uncontrolled descent. The horizontal stabilator and the left wing separated while the airplane was in a descending right turn on the downwind side of a mountain. The pilot received a full preflight weather briefing and updated that with an abbreviated briefing prior to takeoff. The briefings included a forecast for moderate to severe turbulence and icing along the route of flight. While en route, the pilot experienced icing conditions and requested a lower altitude. He received pilot reports while en route that indicated icing conditions were being encountered in the area of his destination. The airplane was not equipped with anti-icing or deicing equipment. A Safety Board weather study identified conditions that were conducive for clouds, turbulence, wind shear, icing, and mountain wave activity.
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: 568 hours in all; 524 in this make and model; 39 in the last 90 days; 14 in the last 30 days
- Last flight review: December 6, 1997
- Medical certificate: Class 3 (valid medical--no waivers/lim.)
- Seat: left
- Injury: fatal
The aircraft
- Airframe total time: 675 hours
- Last inspection: annual inspection, June 12, 1998; 170 hours since
- Maximum gross weight: 3,600 lb
- Seats: 6
- Landing gear: retractable
- Engine: Lycoming IO-540K1G5 (piston); 0 hours total
The flight
- Departed from: DVT Deer Valley AZ
- Destination: CRQ Carlsbad CA
- Flight plan: IFR
- Runway 0
Weather at the time
- Light: night
- Wind: from 260° at 21 knots
- Visibility: 9 statute miles
- Sky: broken clouds at 1,100 ft; scat at 600 ft
- Temperature: 45°F (7°C), dew point 43°F (6°C)
- Altimeter: 29.00 inHg
- Observation at 1:56 am from RNM, 19 miles away
Injuries
| Fatal | Serious | Minor | None | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Crew | 1 | |||
| Passengers | 3 |
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.