- Date
- May 4, 1989, 16:30 local (23:30 UTC)
- Place
- Stockton, CA
- Injuries
- 1 fatal
- Damage
- Destroyed
- Phase of flight
- Enroute
- Aircraft
- N8133APiper PA-28-201T
- Weather
- Visual (VMC) · Day
- Status
- Completed · report October 7, 1992
- Report
- Approved by Office Director
- FAA report
- 19890504010739A
- Case key
- 26224
From the NTSB’s public API. By law, NTSB reports can’t be used as evidence in lawsuits over the accident.
On this page
Probable cause
The pilot's improper decision to perform aerobatics which resulted in the design stress limits of the airplane being exceeded due to excessive airspeed. Contributing factors to the accident were the pilot's overconfidence in his and the airplane's ability, and his lack of aerobatic flight experience.
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
Prior to departure the pilot indicated that he might try to roll his airplane during his return flight home. During the flight the pilot was receiving VFR radar traffic advisories while cruising between 8,400 and 8,600 ft. at 1629:23 the airplane's transponder indicated it was at 8,600 ft. 12 secs later it was at 7,800 ft, and then 4 secs later the controller heard an ELT. At 1629:45 the controller heard a mayday and radar contact was lost. Witnesses observed the airplane descending in a 60-90 deg nose-down attitude. Both wings, vertical stabilizer, rudder, and stabilator separated in flight. No record of the pilot receiving aerobatic instruction.
Aircraft
- Registration
- N8133A
- Reported as
- Piper PA-28-201T
- Category
- Airplane
- Serial number
- 28-7921056
- Airframe hours
- 627
- Engine
- Continental TSIO-360-FB8, 200 horsepower, reciprocating
- Damage
- Destroyed
- Flight
- Personal · Part 91
- Operator
- Paul J. Thurston
- Registered owner
- Beltran Investments, Inc.
- Airworthiness certificate
- Standard, Normal
- Last inspection
- Annual · October 1, 1988 · 92 hours before
- Departed
- RNO · Reno, NV
- Destination
- SJC · San Jose, 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
- 57
- Certificate
- Private
- Airplane ratings
- Single-engine land
- Medical
- Unknown
- Seat
- Left
- Toxicology
- Performed
- Flight hours
- 498 total · 460 in this make and model · 419 as pilot in command · 20 in the last 90 days · 12 in the last 30 days
Weather
- Conditions
- Visual (VMC) · Day
- Wind
- 290° at 13 knots
- Visibility
- 30 statute miles
- Lowest ceiling
- 10,000 ft broken
- Temperature
- 88 °F, dew point 57 °F
- Altimeter
- 29.00 inHg
- Observed at
- SCK, 15 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.