Plane Crash List

Piper PA-31-350 N59973

4 April 1989 · Salinas, California, United States · No injuries

Summary

On 4 April 1989 at about 23:57 local time, a Piper PA-31-350 registered N59973, operated by Ameriflight, was involved in an accident near Salinas, California, United States. One person was on board and nobody was injured. The aircraft was substantially damaged. The NTSB has published a probable cause for this accident; it is quoted in full below.

The record

Date
at 23:57
Classification
Accident
Location
Salinas, California, United States
Nearest airport
Salinas (SNS)
Coordinates
36.7191, -121.6296
Aircraft
Piper PA-31-350
Registration
N59973
Category
Airplane
Engines
2
Operator
Ameriflight
Operating rule
Part 91: General Aviation
Purpose of flight
Positioning
Phase of flight
Not recorded
Route
Unknown → Hollister
Aircraft damage
Substantial
Weather
VMC
Light
Day
NTSB number
LAX89LA147

People

Nobody was injured.

On board Died Serious Minor Uninjured
1 0 0 0 1

Probable cause

THE PILOT'S FAILURE TO MAINTAIN PROPER TAXIWAY ALIGNMENT, WHEN HE DIVERTED HIS ATTENTION, WHILE TAXIING. THE LOCATION OF THE PARKED AIRCRAFT WAS A RELATED FACTOR.

Quoted verbatim from the NTSB record. This site does not paraphrase or interpret it.

Read the full NTSB narrative

WHILE TAXIING FOR TAKEOFF, THE PILOT'S ATTENTION WAS DIVERTED TO SET THE TRANSPONDER. SUBSEQUENTLY, THE AIRPLANE WENT OFF THE TAXIWAY & COLLIDED WITH A PARKED UNOCCUPIED AIRPLANE.

Quoted verbatim from the NTSB record.

Other Piper PA-31 accidents

Date Aircraft Location Operator Outcome Died
15 Sep 1989 Piper PA-31-350
N70PE
Ontario, California, United States Ameriflight Fatal 1
20 May 1989 Piper PA-31
N87TS
Tok Junction, Alaska, United States - No injuries -
28 Aug 1989 Piper PA-31-350
N234J
Lynchburg, Virginia, United States - Fatal 5
1 Feb 1989 Piper PA-31
N88RG
Sparks, Nevada, United States - Serious injuries -
15 Dec 1989 Piper PA-31-350
N45CH
Cairo Township, New York, United States Aero-Venture Inc. Fatal 6
14 Feb 1989 Piper PA-31-350
N41169
Pacific Ocean
no coordinates
Southern Cross Aviation Minor injuries -

All 680 records for this type

Other accidents in this area

Date Aircraft Location Operator Outcome Died
26 Sep 1989 Piper PA-25-235
N4450Y
Warner Springs, California, United States - No injuries -
19 Sep 1989 Cessna 310K
N6958L
Ojai, California, United States - Fatal 2
30 Sep 1989 Cessna 182
N96642
Eureka, California, United States Nothern Air No injuries -
30 Sep 1989 Cessna 152
N6422M
Lancaster, California, United States West Coast Air Center Fatal 2
29 Sep 1989 Bellanca 17-30A
N8272R
Palo Alto, California, United States Klouda, Linda K. Minor injuries -
10 Jul 1989 Luscombe 8A
N77969
Napa, California, United States Richard A. Bryson Fatal 1

All 170,864 records in United States