Piper PA-28RT accident near Cherry Valley, California, April 3, 2011
On April 3, 2011 at about 2:15 pm local time, a Piper PA-28RT, registered N355LC, was substantially damaged in an accident during maneuvering near Cherry Valley, California. It was a personal flight under general aviation rules (Part 91). 1 person was killed. The weather was visual conditions (good weather).
The NTSB's probable cause their words, unchanged
The pilot’s continued flight in an area of low ceiling and visibility, which resulted in a collision with mountainous/hilly terrain.
Source: NTSB aviation accident database, copy made October 5, 2026. Docket and reports at the NTSB.
What the record shows
- Date
- April 3, 2011 · about 2:15 pm local time
- Place
- Cherry Valley, California · map
- Type
- Accident
- Injuries
- 1 person was killed.
- Weather
- visual conditions (good weather)
- Aircraft
- Piper PA-28RT 201 · all PA-28RTs on the register
- Registration
- N355LC · registry record · serial 28R-8118035
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Personal flight · general aviation rules (Part 91)
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
Witnesses near the accident site reported hearing the airplane and that it seemed to be flying at low level; the engine sounded like it was operating normally. Neither witness could see the airplane because of low clouds, which were touching the tops of the ridgelines in the hilly terrain. Visibility was about 1 mile or less in fog or heavy mist. Radar data displayed a single target in the vicinity of the accident site, which was likely the accident airplane. The target made multiple tight right and left turns, and the altitude varied between 3,900 feet and 2,500 feet mean sea level. The target subsequently began a tight right descending turn until the target dropped off radar in the vicinity of the accident site. The accident site was in the foothills of mountainous terrain and located on a ridgeline. A postaccident examination of the airframe and engine revealed no evidence of mechanical malfunctions or failures that would have precluded normal operation. It is likely that the pilot entered the clouds and while maneuvering failed to maintain sufficient altitude to clear the mountainous terrain.
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
What happened, in order
- Loss of control in flight during maneuvering defining event
- Collision with terrain or object (not controlled flight into terrain) during maneuvering
The NTSB's findings
- Environmental issues › Physical environment › Terrain › Mountainous/hilly terrain › Awareness of condition
- Environmental issues › Conditions/weather/phenomena › Ceiling/visibility/precip › Low ceiling › Not specified
- cause Aircraft › Aircraft power plant › Power plant › (general) › Failure
- cause Personnel issues › Task performance › Use of equip/info › (general) › Pilot
Pilot
- Certificate: private
- Ratings: multi-engine land; single-engine land
- Flight time: 2,100 hours in all
- Last flight review: February 18, 2010
- Medical certificate: Class 3 (with waivers/limitations)
- Seat: unk
- Injury: fatal
The aircraft
- Airframe total time: 3,514 hours
- Last inspection: annual inspection, January 1, 2011
- Seats: 4
- Landing gear: retractable
- Engine: Lycoming IO-360-C1C6 (piston); 0 hours total
- Fire on the ground
The flight
- Departed from: BNG Banning CA
- Destination: REI Redlands CA
- Flight plan: none
Weather at the time
- Light: daylight
- Visibility: 10 statute miles
- Sky: overcast at 1,600 ft
- Temperature: 54°F (12°C), dew point 52°F (11°C)
- Altimeter: 29.97 inHg
- Observation at 1:55 pm from KRIV, 15 miles away
Injuries
| Fatal | Serious | Minor | None | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Flight crew | 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.