Piper PA-28-181 accident near Yucaipa, CA
On March 1, 2005, a Piper PA-28-181 (airplane) was involved in an accident near Yucaipa, CA. 3 people died. Damage to the aircraft: destroyed.
- Date
- March 1, 2005
- Place
- Yucaipa, CA
- Aircraft
- Piper PA-28-181 · Airplane
- Injuries
- 3 fatal, 0 serious, 0 minor
- Damage
- Destroyed
- Position
- 34.038°N, 116.987°W
- NTSB ID
- 20050310X00293
NTSB summary
1.1 HISTORY OF FLIGHT On February 28, 2005, about 1905 Pacific standard time, a Piper PA-28-181, N2954P, impacted mountainous terrain near Yucaipa, California. M.I. Air Corporation was operating the airplane under the provisions of 14 CFR Part 91. The commercial certified flight instructor (CFI), the private pilot undergoing instruction (PUI), and the private pilot rated passenger sustained fatal injuries; the airplane was destroyed. The local instructional night flight departed Redlands Municipal Airport, Redlands, California, at 1846. Visual meteorological conditions prevailed, and no flight plan had been filed. The primary wreckage was at 34 degrees 02.258 minutes north latitude and 116 degrees 59.249 minutes west longitude, at an elevation of 4,160 feet. The operator reported that the purpose of the flight was for the PUI to obtain night Visual Flight Rules (VFR) pilot-in-command time. The flight was scheduled to fly in the local area and to make night landings at Redlands Municipal Airport and other local airports. Friends of the pilot reported they heard the airplane fly over the PUI's residence about 1900. The witness said he could see the strobe lights of the airplane, but could not see the airplane registration number due to the low clouds that were in the area. The airplane was reported missing on March 1, 2005, at 0800, when personnel at M.I. Air Corporation came to work and discovered the airplane had not returned. San Bernardino County Sheriff's Department Aero Bureau personnel located the wreckage at about 1400 in mountainous terrain about 9.0 nautical miles (
Probable cause
The failure of the private pilot and the flight instructor to maintain adequate terrain clearance while flying in unfamiliar mountainous terrain in dark night conditions.
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Browse: California · Piper aircraft
Source: NTSB aviation accident database (US government, public domain). Findings may be preliminary or later revised by the NTSB. Not a complete global record.
