# NTSB SEA80FA028: Piper PA-28, N44725, Imperial, CA, May 9, 1980

- Type: NTSB accident investigation
- Classification: Accident · Fatal · Closed
- Date: May 9, 1980
- Place: Imperial, CA · IMPERIAL, CA
- Location: 32.8388° N, 115.5720° W: Placed by OpenAirDocs: center of Imperial, CA, within about 6 miles (OpenAirDocs)
- Nearby events: https://openairdocs.org/map.md?lat=32.8388&lon=-115.5720&mi=10
- Phase of flight: [Approach](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-phases/500) (OpenAirDocs' grouping)
- Highest injury: Fatal
- Injuries: 1 fatal, 3 serious
- Status: Completed, report July 8, 1980
- Report: Brief approved by the director
- NTSB case key (mKey): 131161
- NTSB case page: https://web.ntsb.gov/investigations/?ntsbnumber=SEA80FA028
- Page: https://openairdocs.org/ntsb/SEA80FA028

## NTSB brief

```
----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
 FILE    DATE          LOCATION          AIRCRAFT DATA       INJURIES       FLIGHT                        PILOT DATA
                                                               F  S M/N     PURPOSE
----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
3-0604   80/5/9    IMPERIAL,CA         PIPER PA-28         CR-  0  1  0  NONCOMMERCIAL             PRIVATE, AGE 56, 340
        TIME - 1822                    N44725              PX-  1  2  0  PLEASURE/PERSONAL TRANSP  TOTAL HOURS, UNK/NR IN
                                       DAMAGE-DESTROYED    OT-  0  0  0                            TYPE, NOT INSTRUMENT
                                                                                                   RATED.
        NAME OF AIRPORT - IMPERIAL CO
        DEPARTURE POINT             INTENDED DESTINATION
          SANTA ANA,CA                IMPERIAL,CA
        TYPE OF ACCIDENT                                         PHASE OF OPERATION
           STALL: MUSH                                              LANDING: GO-AROUND
        PROBABLE CAUSE(S)
           PILOT IN COMMAND - EXERCISED POOR JUDGMENT
           WEATHER - UNFAVORABLE WIND CONDITIONS
        FACTOR(S)
           MISCELLANEOUS ACTS,CONDITIONS - IMPROPERLY LOADED AIRCRAFT-WEIGHT-AND/OR C.G.
        WEATHER BRIEFING - NO RECORD OF BRIEFING RECEIVED
        WEATHER FORECAST - UNKNOWN/NOT REPORTED
        SKY CONDITION                                            CEILING AT ACCIDENT SITE
          SCATTERED                                                UNLIMITED
        VISIBILITY AT ACCIDENT SITE                              PRECIPITATION AT ACCIDENT SITE
          5 OR OVER(UNLIMITED)                                     NONE
        OBSTRUCTIONS TO VISION AT ACCIDENT SITE                  TEMPERATURE-F
          NONE                                                      73
        WIND DIRECTION-DEGREES                                   WIND VELOCITY-KNOTS
          250                                                       19
        TYPE OF WEATHER CONDITIONS                               TYPE OF FLIGHT PLAN
          VFR                                                      NONE
        REMARKS- 70DEG L CROSSWND GUSTING 26KTS.MAX DEMONSTRATED CROSSWND FOR ACFT-15KTS.104LBS OVR MAX GROSS WT.
```

## Aircraft

- Registration: [N44725](https://openairdocs.org/deregistered/N44725-1982-12-02), registration cancelled 1982-12-02, S/N 28-7505003, built 1974 (OpenAirDocs)
- Reported make and model: PIPER PA-28
- Registry model: [Piper PA-28-180](https://openairdocs.org/model/piper-pa-28-180) (registry code 7102808) (OpenAirDocs)
- Category: Airplane
- Engines: reciprocating
- Damage: Destroyed
- Airport: Imperial Co

## FAA reports on this event (1)

The FAA's own accident and incident reports, matched to the aircraft by N-number and date (OpenAirDocs).

- [Accident 19800509014209A](https://openairdocs.org/incident/19800509014209A), May 9, 1980: Piper PA28180, Imperial, CA, Destroyed, 1 fatal. Go-around due to excessive crosswind. Made nose high drifting right downwind turn, stalled. Airplane over gross.

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.

---
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.