Piper PA-28-180 accident near Riverside, California, April 16, 2023
On April 16, 2023 at about 5:10 pm local time, a 1965 Piper PA-28-180, registered N8376W, was substantially damaged in an accident during initial climb near Riverside, California (Riverside Municipal airport). It was a personal flight under general aviation rules (Part 91). 1 person had minor injuries; 2 others were unhurt. The weather was visual conditions (good weather).
The NTSB's probable cause their words, unchanged
The pilot’s failure to use carburetor heat during an extended ground delay before takeoff, which resulted in a total loss of engine power during initial climb due to carburetor ice.
Source: NTSB aviation accident database, copy made October 5, 2026. Docket and reports at the NTSB.
What the record shows
- Date
- April 16, 2023 · about 5:10 pm local time
- Place
- Riverside, California · Riverside Municipal · map
- Type
- Accident
- Injuries
- 1 person had minor injuries; 2 others were unhurt.
- Weather
- visual conditions (good weather)
- Aircraft
- Piper PA-28-180, built 1965 · all PA-28-180s on the register
- Registration
- N8376W · registry record · serial 28-2576
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Personal flight · general aviation rules (Part 91)
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
The pilot completed the airplane’s engine run-up and carburetor heat function checks with no anomalies noted. He then taxied to the runway and experienced an extended ground delay with the engine running at idle engine power settings. He did not use carburetor heat during the ground delay or during takeoff. About 1,000 ft above ground level (agl), during the initial climb, the engine lost all power. The pilot initiated a forced landing to a field ahead of the airplane’s position and subsequently struck terrain. Postaccident examination of the engine revealed no evidence of mechanical malfunction or failure that would have precluded normal operation. The weather conditions at the time of the accident were conducive to the formation of serious carburetor icing at glide (idle) engine power settings. It is likely that during the post run-up taxi and ground delay, a period during which the engine would typically be operating at low or idle power settings, carburetor ice formed that resulted in a total loss of engine power during the initial climb.
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
- Off-field or emergency landing during emergency descent
- Fuel related during initial climb defining event
The NTSB's findings
- Aircraft › Aircraft power plant › Engine (reciprocating) › (general) › Failure
- Personnel issues › Psychological › Attention/monitoring › Monitoring equip/instruments › Pilot
- Environmental issues › Conditions/weather/phenomena › Temp/humidity/pressure › Conducive to carburetor icing › Effect on equipment
Pilot
- Certificate: private
- Ratings: single-engine land
- Flight time: 350 hours in all; 73 in this make and model; 26 in the last 90 days; 300 as pilot in command
- Last flight review: June 20, 2022
- Medical certificate: BasicMed (with waivers/limitations)
- Seat: left
- Injury: no injuries
Passenger
- Seat: rgt
- Injury: minor injuries
Passenger
- Seat: rgt
- Injury: no injuries
The aircraft
- Airframe total time: 4,221.8 hours
- Last inspection: 100-hour inspection, November 4, 2022
- Maximum gross weight: 2,400 lb
- Seats: 4
- Landing gear: fixed
- Engine: Lycoming O-360-A3A (piston); 0 hours total
The flight
- Departed from: KRAL Riverside CA at 5:07 pm
- Destination: KPOC La Verne CA
- Flight plan: none
- Runway 27, 5,401 ft by 100 ft
Weather at the time
- Light: daylight
- Wind: from 280° at 5 knots
- Visibility: 10 statute miles
- Sky: clear
- Temperature: 61°F (16°C), dew point 48°F (9°C)
- Altimeter: 30.12 inHg
- Observation at 9:53 am from KRAL, 2 miles away
Weather report (METAR): METAR KRAL 161653Z AUTO 28005KT 10SM CLR 16/09 A3012 RMK AO2 SLP190 T01560089
Injuries
| Fatal | Serious | Minor | None | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Flight crew | 1 | |||
| Passengers | 1 | 1 |
Documents from the investigation the NTSB's docket: the evidence folder behind the report
5 documents, released by the NTSB on November 7, 2024. 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.
| # | Document | What it is | |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Pilot/operator Aircraft Accident Report, NTSB Form 6120.1 | PDF, 11 pages | View Download |
| 2 | Weather Summary | PDF, 2 pages | View Download |
| 3 | Engine and Airframe Exam Summary | PDF, 5 pages | View Download |
| 4 | Statement of Party Representatives to NTSB Investigation | PDF, 1 page | View Download |
| 5 | Photo Array | PDF, 2 pages | View Download |
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.