# Accident 19980607012819A: Piper PA28R200, Lytle Creek, CA, June 7, 1998

- Type: FAA accident report (Accident/Incident Data System), as reported
- Date: June 7, 1998, 18:05 local time
- Place: Lytle Creek, CA
- Damage: Destroyed
- Phase of flight: Scud Running
- Operating rules: General operating rules (Part 91)
- Location: 34.2498° N, 117.5408° W: From the FAA, an estimate near the named town, within about 3 miles
- Nearby events: https://openairdocs.org/map.md?lat=34.2498&lon=-117.5408&mi=10
- Aircraft: N16344, a cancelled registration (https://openairdocs.org/deregistered/N16344-2004-12-16) (OpenAirDocs)
- Registry model: Piper PA-28R-200 (registry code 7102811, https://openairdocs.org/model/piper-pa-28r-200) (OpenAirDocs)
- Registry engine: Lycoming I0360 series (registry code 41515, https://openairdocs.org/engine/lycoming-i0360-series) (OpenAirDocs)
- Reported make and model: PIPER PA28R200
- Reported engine: LYC IO360C1C
- People aboard: 4
- Fatal injuries: 4
- Pilot flight hours: 200 total, 47 in this make and model
- NTSB investigation: [NTSB LAX98FA189](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb/LAX98FA189) (OpenAirDocs)
- FAA source: FAA Aviation Safety Information Portal (https://asip.faa.gov/)
- Page: https://openairdocs.org/incident/19980607012819A

## Narrative

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

(.19) ACFT CRASHED UNDER UNKN CIRCUM LEVEL OF THE SAN BERNADINO MOUNTAINS. ALL 4 POB SUFFERED FATAL INJ. (.4) THE PILOT CONTACTED APPROACH CONTROL WHILE RETURNING FROM A CROSS-COUNTRY FLIGHT AND REQUESTED A VFR DESCENT, WHICH WAS APPROVED.  THE DESCENT AREA WAS OVER MOUNTAINOUS TERRAIN OBSCURED IN CLOUDS.  DURING THE LAST RADIO CONTACT WITH THE PILOT, HE REPORTED HE WAS DESCENDING OUT OF 5,300 FEET MSL.  THE WRECKAGE WAS LOCATED AT 5,250 FEET MSL.  PILOT REPORTS CONFIRMED THE OBSCURATION OF THE MOUNTAIN PASS WHERE THE ACCIDENT OCCURRED.

## 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 LAX98FA189](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb/LAX98FA189), Jun 8, 1998: Piper PA-28R-200 (N16344), Lytle Creek, CA, destroyed, 4 fatal. Probable cause: the pilot's intentional VFR descent into instrument meteorological conditions, resulting in a collision with mountainous terrain.

## Other reports on N16344 (1)

Matched to the same aircraft by N-number and date.

- [Incident 19930112001679I](https://openairdocs.org/incident/19930112001679I), Jan 12, 1993: Piper PA28R200 (N16344), La Verne, CA, Minor damage. Experienced partial gear retraction after takeoff. Returned. Unable to lock gear down. Landed with nose gear up.

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.

---
OpenAirDocs.org is an independent research project of [Contrail Labs](https://contraillabs.com/). It is not affiliated with the FAA or the NTSB. Source documents are U.S. government works in the public domain.