- Date
- December 26, 1983, 19:35 local (Dec 27, 1983, 02:35 UTC)
- Place
- Fontana, CA
- Injuries
- 1 fatal
- Damage
- Destroyed
- Phase of flight
- Maneuvering
- Aircraft
- N8761PPiper PA 24-260
- Weather
- Visual (VMC) · Night/dark
- Status
- Completed
- Report
- Approved by Office Director
- FAA report
- 19831226063419A
- Case key
- 23920
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 acft collided with a electrical power line tower at night during IMC weather. The tower was struck at 40 ft AGL. Theplt received a weather briefing for this flt and VFR flt was not recommended. No flt plan was filed. Witesses heard the acft fly over at an estimated 200-300 ft in dense fog and rain. Witnesses heard the crash and called the sheriff who responded and found the wreckage scattered below the tower for a distance of about 300 ft. the plt did not have an instrument rating.
Aircraft
- Registration
- N8761P
- Reported as
- Piper PA 24-260
- Category
- Airplane
- Serial number
- 24-4211
- Airframe hours
- 5,025
- Engine
- Lycoming IO-540-D4A5, 260 horsepower, reciprocating
- Damage
- Destroyed
- Fire
- On-Ground
- Flight
- Personal · Part 91
- Registered owner
- Sam Paul Winter
- Airworthiness certificate
- Standard, Normal
- Last inspection
- Annual · August 3, 1983 · 114 hours before
- Departed
- CLX · Calexico, CA
- Destination
- L67 · Rialto, CA
Flight crew
As NTSB recorded them. NTSB leaves out names.
- Role
- Pilot
- Age
- 62
- Certificate
- Private
- Airplane ratings
- Single-engine land
- Medical
- Class 3, Valid Medical--no waivers/lim.
- Seat
- Left
- Toxicology
- Performed
- Flight hours
- 10,000 total
Weather
- Conditions
- Visual (VMC) · Night/dark
- Wind
- 240° at 4 knots
- Lowest ceiling
- 1,000 ft overcast
- Temperature
- 55 °F, dew point 54 °F
- Altimeter
- 30.00 inHg
- Observed at
- ONT, 10 nm away
FAA reports on this event · 1
The FAA’s own accident and incident reports, matched to the aircraft by N-number and date.