Piper PA 28-181 accident near Upland, California, November 22, 2016
On November 22, 2016 at about 12:20 pm local time, a 1985 Piper PA 28-181, registered N6912C, was substantially damaged in an accident during enroute (climb to cruise) near Upland, California (Cable airport). 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 failure to maintain clearance from rising terrain in dark night conditions, which resulted in controlled flight into terrain.
Source: NTSB aviation accident database, copy made October 5, 2026. Docket and reports at the NTSB.
What the record shows
- Date
- November 22, 2016 · about 12:20 pm local time
- Place
- Upland, California · Cable · map
- Type
- Accident
- Injuries
- 1 person was killed.
- Weather
- visual conditions (good weather)
- Aircraft
- Piper PA 28-181 181, built 1985 · all PA 28-181s on the register
- Registration
- N6912C · no longer on the register · serial 28-8590051
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Personal flight · general aviation rules (Part 91)
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
The private pilot departed from a non-towered airport in dark night conditions destined for an airport located about 15 nautical miles southeast; a direct route of flight between the two airports would require flight through controlled (Class C) airspace. Radar data showed that, after departure, the pilot conducted a left climbing turn, then proceeded north (as prescribed for noise abatement procedures at the airport), and remained clear of the controlled airspace, toward an area of dark, unpopulated, rising terrain. About 3 minutes after departure, the pilot contacted the local controller. While talking to the controller, the pilot's transmission suddenly stopped, and the airplane was lost from radar at an altitude about 3,000 ft mean sea level in the vicinity of the accident site. The accident site was located on steep, rising terrain at an elevation about 2,920 ft. Ground scars indicated that the airplane was in a nearly wings-level attitude at the time of impact. There were no preimpact anomalies with the airframe or engine that would have precluded normal operation. It is likely that, while communicating with the controller, the pilot did not monitor and maintain situational awareness as the airplane approached mountainous, unlit 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
- Controlled flight into terrain or object (CFIT) during enroute (climb to cruise) defining event
The NTSB's findings
- cause Aircraft › Aircraft oper/perf/capability › Performance/control parameters › Altitude › Not attained/maintained
- cause Personnel issues › Psychological › Attention/monitoring › Monitoring environment › Pilot
- Environmental issues › Physical environment › Terrain › Mountainous/hilly terrain › Contributed to outcome
- Environmental issues › Conditions/weather/phenomena › Light condition › Dark › Effect on operation
Pilot
- Certificate: private
- Ratings: single-engine land; instrument: airplane
- Flight time: 2,557.6 hours in all; 12.6 in this make and model; 37 in the last 90 days; 18.5 in the last 30 days; 2,478.3 as pilot in command
- Last flight review: November 1, 2016
- Medical certificate: Class 2 (with waivers/limitations)
- Seat: left
- Injury: fatal
The aircraft
- Airframe total time: 3,409.9 hours
- Last inspection: 100-hour inspection, October 16, 2016; 40 hours since
- Seats: 4
- Landing gear: fixed
- Engine: Lycoming O&VO-360 SER (piston); 0 hours total
The flight
- Departed from: CCB Upland CA at 12:16 pm
- Destination: RAL Riverside CA
- Flight plan: none
Weather at the time
- Light: night, dark
- Visibility: 10 statute miles
- Sky: broken clouds at 1,500 ft
- Temperature: 50°F (10°C), dew point 48°F (9°C)
- Altimeter: 30.07 inHg
- Observation at 12:29 pm from KONT, 6 miles away
Injuries
| Fatal | Serious | Minor | None | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Flight crew | 1 |
Documents from the investigation the NTSB's docket: the evidence folder behind the report
21 documents, released by the NTSB on May 16, 2018. View them here, or download them; the NTSB redacts some personal details before release, and this site shows the NTSB's own titles rather than its file names.
The same docket at the NTSB · documents without a copy here are fetched from the NTSB when you open them.
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.