Crash of N2954P

In early 2002 my father decided to start flying again after about a 20 year hiatus. He originally got his private pilots license in 1967. So in order to fly again he needed "refresher" training. Since he lives in Colton California, Redlands Airport (L12) is the nearest to his house. He received his training from M.I. Air, an FBO that specalized in flight training. He took all of this flight training in a Piper Warrior. He intended to purchase a Piper Arrow, the M.I. Air Warrior he trained in has similar flight characteristics.



All of his refresher flight training took place in this very airplane.



On Saturday, January 28, 2002 my dad, brother-in-law Todd, daughter Crystal and I went for a sight-seeing flight in N2954P. It was a very uneventful flight. We climbed out to 8,500 feet and flew south east of Redlands to Palm Springs and down to the salton sea. The flight was smooth and a lot of fun. All my life I had dreamed of getting my pilots license, after that flight I decided that I would do it. I started my flight training the very next month. It took me a year (since I could only fly on the weekends), but I recieved my private pilots license on 2/16/2003.



Unfortunately N2954P crashed on Monday, February 28, 2005. There were 2 students on board with a flight instructor. All three people died. The airplane was flying at night. The crash site was 8 miles south-east of Redlands (L12) and SanBernardino International (SBD). The students had planned to practice at SBD. It is not clear how, or why then ended up on the mountain side. Here's more information:

• Los Angeles Times
• San Jose Mercury News
• San Bernardino Sun
• Japan Today
• FAA Registration
• Official NTSB Accident Report