# Accident 19890404005749A: Piper PA31350, Salinas, CA, April 4, 1989

- Type: FAA accident report (Accident/Incident Data System), as reported
- Date: April 4, 1989, 15:57 local time
- Place: Salinas, CA
- Airport: Salinas Municipal Airport
- Damage: Substantial damage
- Phase of flight: Ground Taxi, Other Airplane
- Operating rules: General operating rules (Part 91)
- Operator: AMFA
- Location: 36.7191° N, 121.6296° W: From the FAA, an estimate near the named town, within about 3 miles
- Nearby events: https://openairdocs.org/map.md?lat=36.7191&lon=-121.6296&mi=10
- Aircraft: N59973, a cancelled registration (https://openairdocs.org/deregistered/N59973-2025-08-20) (OpenAirDocs)
- Registry model: Piper PA-31-350 (registry code 7103110, https://openairdocs.org/model/piper-pa-31-350) (OpenAirDocs)
- Registry engine: Lycoming TI0-540 series (registry code 41533, https://openairdocs.org/engine/lycoming-ti0-540-series) (OpenAirDocs)
- Reported make and model: PIPER PA31350
- Reported engine: LYC TIO540J2BD
- People aboard: 1
- Fatal injuries: 0
- Pilot flight hours: 1,897 total, 85 in this make and model, 160 in the last 90 days
- NTSB investigation: [NTSB LAX89LA147](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb/LAX89LA147) (OpenAirDocs)
- FAA source: FAA Aviation Safety Information Portal (https://asip.faa.gov/)
- Page: https://openairdocs.org/incident/19890404005749A

## Narrative

As the FAA filed it, in capitals; the FAA replaces private details with ^PRIVACY DATA OMITTED^.

COLLIDED WITH A PARKED AIRCRAFT WHILE TAXIING FOR TAKEOFF. HAD DIVERTED HIS ATTENTION TO SET TRANSPONDER.

## The NTSB's investigation of this event (1)

From the NTSB's public API. Aircraft are matched to registry aircraft by N-number and event date, checked against the reported serial number, make and model; the registry's history has gaps, so older matches can be wrong. Compare the reported make and model.

- [NTSB LAX89LA147](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb/LAX89LA147), Apr 4, 1989: Piper PA-31-350 (N59973), Salinas, CA, substantial damage. Probable cause: THE PILOT'S FAILURE TO MAINTAIN PROPER TAXIWAY ALIGNMENT, WHEN HE DIVERTED HIS ATTENTION, WHILE TAXIING. THE LOCATION OF THE PARKED AIRCRAFT WAS A RELATED FACTOR.

From the FAA Accident/Incident Data System. Reports are matched to registry aircraft by N-number and event date, checked against the reported make and model; the registry's history has gaps, so older matches can be wrong. Compare the reported make and model. For accidents, the NTSB's own investigation is the fuller record.

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