- Date
- September 6, 1983, 00:26 local (07:26 UTC)
- Place
- San Marcos, CA
- Injuries
- 4 fatal
- Damage
- Destroyed
- Phase of flight
- Enroute
- Aircraft
- N8196JPiper PA-32-301T
- Weather
- Instrument (IMC) · Night/dark
- Status
- Completed
- Report
- Approved by Office Director
- FAA report
- 19830906047179A
- Case key
- 23503
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
At aprx 2209 PDT, the plt departed fresno, CA on a night, VFR, x-country flt. He cancelled his VFR flt plan at 0009 PDT & landed at ramona, CA at 0012. After landing, he called his wife to inquire about the wx at palomar, CA. She looked out the window & reported that she could see stars. The plt then took off at aprx 0017 for a 23 mi flt. Aprx 15 mi west of ramona, the acft crashed on the side of a hill in a grove of avocad trees at an elevation of about 1000 ft MSL. According to local residents, the wx was foggy with aprx 1/2 mi visibility, the ceiling was about 300 ft, the wind was calm & the temp was 56 deg. Reportedly, the fog had been in the valley for 2 to 3 hrs. An examination of the accident site & wreckage revealed no evidence of an in-flt structural failure or loss of power.
Aircraft
- Registration
- N8196J
- Reported as
- Piper PA-32-301T
- Category
- Airplane
- Serial number
- 8024013
- Airframe hours
- 1,388
- Engine
- Lycoming TIO-540-S1AD, 300 horsepower, reciprocating
- Damage
- Destroyed
- Fire
- On-Ground
- Flight
- Personal · Part 91
- Registered owner
- Horizon Enterprises Ltd.
- Airworthiness certificate
- Standard, Normal
- Last inspection
- Annual · August 2, 1983 · 30 hours before
- Departed
- FAT · Fresno, CA
- Destination
- CNM · Carlsbad, CA
- Flight plan
- Unknown
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
- 38
- Certificate
- Private
- Airplane ratings
- Single-engine land
- Medical
- Class 3, Valid Medical--no waivers/lim.
- Seat
- Left
- Toxicology
- Performed
- Flight hours
- 200 total · 20 in this make and model
Weather
- Conditions
- Instrument (IMC) · Night/dark
- Wind
- Calm
- Visibility
- 1 statute miles
- Lowest ceiling
- 300 ft overcast
- Temperature
- 55 °F
- Altimeter
- 30.00 inHg
FAA reports on this event · 1
The FAA’s own accident and incident reports, matched to the aircraft by N-number and date.