Piper PA-28RT-201 N43551
17 October 1987 · Buena Park, California, United States · Fatal
Summary
On 17 October 1987 at about 19:11 local time, a Piper PA-28RT-201 registered N43551, operated by General Aviation Company, was involved in an accident near Buena Park, California, United States. One person was on board and one died. The aircraft was destroyed. No probable cause statement is available for this record.
The record
- Date
- at 19:11
- Classification
- Accident
- Location
- Buena Park, California, United States
- Nearest airport
- Fullerton (FUL)
- Coordinates
- 33.8698, -117.9904
- Aircraft
- Piper PA-28RT-201
- Registration
- N43551
- Category
- Airplane
- Engines
- 1
- Operator
- General Aviation Company
- Operating rule
- Part 91: General Aviation
- Purpose of flight
- Personal
- Phase of flight
- Not recorded
- Route
- Fullerton → Pendleton
- Aircraft damage
- Destroyed
- Weather
- Unk
- Light
- Day
- NTSB number
- LAX88FA016
People
1 person died.
| On board | Died | Serious | Minor | Uninjured |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
Probable cause
The NTSB has not published a probable cause for this record. No probable cause statement is present in the source data.
Nothing about the cause is stated here that is not in the source record.
Read the full NTSB narrative
WHILE DEPG ON AN IFR FLT TO VFR CONDS, THE PLT FAILED TO PROVIDE THE CORRECT TRANSPONDER CODE PER ATC CLNC. THE LOCAL CONTROLLER (CTLR) REMINDED HIM TO SET THE CORRECT CODE & THE PLT SUBSEQUENTLY REPLIED 'I'M HAVING A PROBLEM RIGHT NOW . . . I'VE GOT TO GET STRAIGHTENED AWAY . . .' THE CTLR AGAIN REMINDED THE PLT ABT THE CORRECT TRANSPONDER CODE & ADZD OF TRAFFIC AHEAD. SUBSEQUENTLY, THE ACFT BEGAN A SHALLOW DSCNDG LEFT TURN, THEN HIT THE TOPS OF 3 TALL PALM TREES, CRASHED IN AN APT COMPLEX & BURNED. SVRL WITNESSES RPRTD ENG PROBLEMS, BUT NO PREIMPACT PART FAILURE OR MALFUNCTION WAS FND DRG THE INVESTIGATION. ALTHOUGH PROPERLY CERTIFICATED FOR THIS FLT, THE PLT HAD RECENTLY FAILED AN INSTRUMENT FLT TEST. THE FAA WAS IN THE PROCESS OF REVOKING HIS INSTRUMENT PRIVILEGES. THE PLT RPRTDLY WAS EXPERIENCING SERIOUS PERSONAL & FINANCIAL PRBLMS STEMMING FROM HIS WIFE'S ILLNESS & EXTENSIVE HOSPITALIZATION; HIS FLT INSTRUCTOR RPRTD THESE PRBLMS WERE ADVERSELY AFFECTING HIS FLYING SKILLS.
Quoted verbatim from the NTSB record.
Other Piper PA-28RT accidents
| Date | Aircraft | Location | Operator | Outcome | Died |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 15 Aug 1987 | Piper PA-28RT-201T | Vergennes, Vermont, United States | - | No injuries | - |
| 16 Apr 1987 | Piper PA-28RT-201 | Grant, Florida, United States | - | No injuries | - |
| 12 Jul 1987 | Piper PA-28RT-201 | Chelsea, Michigan, United States | - | No injuries | - |
| 4 Jul 1987 | Piper PA-28RT-201T | Galveston, Texas, United States | Curtis B. Cooper | No injuries | - |
| 28 Aug 1987 | Piper PA-28RT-201T | Kings Point, New York, United States | - | Fatal | 1 |
| 9 Mar 1987 | Piper PA-28RT-201T | Santa Ynez, California, United States | - | No injuries | - |
Other accidents in this area
| Date | Aircraft | Location | Operator | Outcome | Died |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 Nov 1987 | Durbin MONNETT MONI | Ramona, California, United States | Lipner, Robert M. | Serious injuries | - |
| 24 Dec 1987 | Bede BD-5 | Chula Vista, California, United States | Teufel, Armin U. | Fatal | 1 |
| 25 Oct 1987 | Stits ELKINS 85 | Camarillo, California, United States | - | Fatal | 1 |
| 21 Nov 1987 | Isgrigg ELITE | Tehachapi, California, United States | Isgrigg, John | Minor injuries | - |
| 27 Dec 1987 | Rolladen-Schneider LS-3 | Santa Ynez, California, United States | - | Serious injuries | - |
| 1 Jan 1987 | Cessna 152 | San Dimas, California, United States | King Aviation | Minor injuries | - |