Riverside Muni Airport
Aircraft Accident/Incident Report

Norco, California 91760
Thursday, May 26, 1983 22:50 PDT

NTSB Narrative Summary Released at Completion of Accident

THE STUDENT PLT HAD FLOWN TO THE RIVERTON ARPT TO ATTEND A GROUND SCHOOL. REPORTEDLY, PRIOR TO HIS DEPARTURE AT APRX 2235 PDT, STARS WERE VISIBLE OVERHEAD, BUT THE HORIZONTAL VISIBILITY WAS POOR & THERE WAS A HAZE LAYER AT ABOUT 500 FT AGL. AT APRX 2250, A WITNESS NEAR THE CRASH SITE OBSERVED THE WHITE & GREEN LIGHTS OF THE ACFT JUST PRIOR TO IMPACT. HE REPORTED HEARING THE CONSTANT SOUND OF THE ENG BEFORE THE ACFT CRASHED. DUE TO DARKNESS & REDUCED VISIBILITY, THE WRECKAGE WAS NOT FOUND UNTIL THE NEXT DAY. AN INVESTIGATION REVEALED THAT THE ACFT HAD IMPACTED IN A RAVINE, SURROUNDED BY HIGH TERRAIN. IMPACT HAD OCCURRED IN A STEEP DESCENT WITH THE RIGHT WING DOWN. APRX 9 MI NORTHWEST OF THE CRASH SITE, THE WEATHER WAS REPORTEDLY OBSCURED, 2 MILE VISIBILITY WITH FOG, TEMP/DEW POINT 60 DEG, WIND 240 DEG AT 6 KTS. PRIOR TO THE FLT, THE STUDENT WAS CAUTIONED ABOUT FLYING IN REDUCED VISIBILITY, BUT HE RESPONDED, 'IT'S OK, I'VE GOT OVER 50 HRS.'

NTSB Probable Cause Narrative

Not Yet Reported

Event Information

Type of Event Accident
Event Date 5/26/1983
Event Day of the Week Thursday
Time of Event 2250
Event Time Zone Pacific Daylight Time
Event City NORCO
Event State CALIFORNIA
Event Country --
Zipcode of the event site 91760
Event Date Year 1983
Event Date Month 5
MidAir Collision Indicator No
On Ground Collision occurred ? No
Event Location Latitude
Event Location Longitude
Event Location Airport RIVERSIDE MUNI
Event Location Nearest Airport ID RAL
Indicates whether the acc/inc occurred off or on an airport Off Airport/Airstrip
Distance from airport in statute miles 5
Degrees magnetic from airport 235
Airport Elevation 816
Weather Briefing Completeness Unknown
Investigator's weather source Weather Observation Facility
Time of the weather observation 2145 Pacific Daylight Time
Direction of event from weather observation facility (degrees) 320
Weather Observation Facility ID ONT
Elevation of weather observation facility 952
Distance of event from weather observation facility (units?) 9
Time Zone of the weather observation PDT
Lighting Conditions Night/Dark
Lowest Ceiling Height 0
Lowest Non-Ceiling Height 0
Sky/Lowest/Cloud Conditions Partial Obscuration
Sky Condition for Lowest Ceiling Obscured
Visibility Runway Visual Range (Feet) 0
Visibility Runway Visual Value (Statute Miles) 0
Visibility (Statute Miles) 2
Air Temperature at event time (in degrees celsius) 16
Dew Point at event time (in degress fahrenheit) 16
Wind Direction (degrees magnetic) 240
Variable Wind Indicator Unknown
Wind Speed (knots) 6
Wind Velocity Indicator Unknown
Wind Gust Indicator Not Gusting
Wind Gust (knots) 0
Altimeter Setting at event time (in. Hg) 29
Density Altitude (feet) 1000
Intensity of Precipitation Unknown
METAR weather report --
Event Highest Injury Fatal
On Ground, Fatal Injuries 0
On Ground, Minor Injuries 0
On Ground, Serious Injuries 0
Injury Total Fatal 1
Injury Total Minor --
Injury Total None --
Injury Total Serious --
Injury Total All 1
Investigating Agency NTSB
NTSB Docket Number (internal use) 1106
NTSB Notification Source --
NTSB Notification Date --
NTSB Notification Time 0
Fiche Number and/or location -used to find docket information 21414
Date of most recent change to record Jan 2 2001 9:15AM
User who most recently changed record dbo
Basic weather conditions Instrument Meteorological Cond
FAA District Office --

Aircraft Involved

Aircraft #1

Aircraft Registration Number N54363
NTSB Number LAX83FA253
Missing Aircraft Indicator N
Federal Aviation Reg. Part Part 91: General Aviation
Type of Flight Plan filed None
Flight plan Was Activated? --
Damage Destroyed
Aircraft Fire None
Aircraft Explosion None
Aircraft Manufacturer's Full Name PIPER
Aircraft Model PA-28-151
Aircraft Series Identifier PA-28-151
Aircraft Serial Number 28-741504B
Certified Max Gross Weight 2325
Aircraft Category Airplane
Aircraft Registration Class U.S. Registered/U.S. Soil
Aircraft is a homebuilt? No
Flight Crew Seats --
Cabin Crew Seats --
Passenger Seats --
Total number of seats on the aircraft 4
Number of Engines 1
Fixed gear or retractable gear Fixed
Aircraft, Type of Last Inspection Annual
Date of Last Inspection Jul 23 1982 12:00AM
Airframe hours since last inspection 50
Airframe Hours 2213
ELT Installed Yes
ELT Activated No
ELT Aided Location of Event Site Unknown
ELT Type --
Aircraft Owner Name SEE AIRCRAFT SEC. OF NARRATIVE
Aircraft Owner Street Address
Aircraft Owner City
Aircraft Owner State
Aircraft Owner Country
Aircraft Owner Zipcode
Operator is an individual? --
Operator Name REINALDO E. RUIZ
Operator Same as Owner? No
Operator Is Doing Business As --
Operator Address Same as Owner? No
Operator Street Address 282 S. POPLAR AVENUE
Operator City BREA
Operator State CA
Operator Country
Operator Zip code 92621
Operator Code
Owner has at least one certificate None
Other Operator of large aircraft? No
Certified for Part 133 or 137 Operation Unknown
Operator Certificate Number --
Indicates whether an air carrier operation was scheduled or not --
Indicates Domestic or International Flight --
Operator carrying Pax/Cargo/Mail --
Type of Flying (Per_Bus / Primary) Personal
Second Pilot on Board No
Departure Point Same as Event No
Departure Airport Code RAL
Departure City RIVERSIDE
Departure State CA
Departure Country
Departure Time 2235
Departure Time Zone PDT
Destination Same as Local Flt --
Destination Airport Code L66
Destination City CORONA
Destination State CA
Destination Country
Specific Phase of Flight Descent
Report sent to ICAO? --
Evacuation occurred --
Date of most recent change to record Jan 2 2001 10:36AM
User who most recently changed record dbo
Since inspection or accident --
Event Location Runway Number and Location 27
Runway Length 5400
Runway Width 100
Sight Seeing flight No
Air Medical Flight No
Medical Flight --