- Date
- January 28, 1982, 18:20 local (Jan 29, 1982, 02:20 UTC)
- Place
- Los Gatos, CA
- Injuries
- 1 fatal
- Damage
- Destroyed
- Phase of flight
- Enroute
- Aircraft
- N32678Piper 28-151
- Weather
- Instrument (IMC) · Night/dark
- Status
- Completed · report January 28, 1983
- Report
- Approved by Office Director
- FAA report
- 19820128002089A
- Case key
- 71486
From the NTSB’s public API. By law, NTSB reports can’t be used as evidence in lawsuits over the accident.
On this page
Sequence of events
NTSB’s coding before 2008: each occurrence and phase of flight, and the causes and factors under it. The codes are defined in NTSB’s coding manual.
Analysis
The pilot prepared to depart on a scheduled courier run in a Piper PA-32, but was unable to start the engine. After consulting with company personnel, he rented a Piper PA-28-151, transferred the cargo and departed monterey, CA on a flight to oakland, CA. After departing the monterey trsa, he continued with no FAA flight plan. About 30 minutes after takeoff, the aircraft crashed in mountainous terrain located within the town of Los Gatos, CA. Residents in the area reported that the visibility was from 20 to 50 ft and that the branches of the tall trees could not be seen with the aid of a flashlight. An examination of the wreckage revealed no preimpact engine or airframe failures. The crash site was within one mile from a course line between the monterey and oakland airports. The operator had not received approval to use this make and model of aircraft in its scheduled air taxi oeration.
Aircraft
- Registration
- N32678
- Reported as
- Piper 28-151
- Category
- Airplane
- Serial number
- 28-7815013
- Airframe hours
- 2,890
- Engine
- Lycoming O-320, 160 horsepower, reciprocating
- Damage
- Destroyed
- Flight
- Part 135
- Operator
- James Williams
- Registered owner
- James Williams
- Departed
- Monterey, CA
- Destination
- Oakland, CA
Matched to the registry by N-number and the event date; the registry’s history has gaps, so older matches can be wrong. Compare the reported make and model.
Flight crew
As NTSB recorded them. NTSB leaves out names.
- Role
- Pilot
- Age
- 23
- Certificates
- Airline transport, Flight instructor
- Airplane ratings
- Multi-engine land, Single-engine land
- Instrument ratings
- Airplane
- Medical
- Class 2, Valid Medical--w/ waivers/lim
- Flight hours
- 2,750 total · 330 in the last 90 days · 3 in the last 24 hours
Weather
- Conditions
- Instrument (IMC) · Night/dark
- Wind
- Calm
- Lowest ceiling
- 20 ft overcast
FAA reports on this event · 1
The FAA’s own accident and incident reports, matched to the aircraft by N-number and date.