# Accident 19900119005719A: Piper PA32R300, Sacramento, CA, January 19, 1990

- Type: FAA accident report (Accident/Incident Data System), as reported
- Date: January 19, 1990, 19:45 local time
- Place: Sacramento, CA
- Airport: Sacramento Executive Airport
- Damage: Substantial damage
- Phase of flight: In Traffic Pattern-Circling
- Operating rules: General operating rules (Part 91)
- Location: 38.5806° N, 121.3705° W: From the FAA, an estimate near the named town, within about 3 miles
- Nearby events: https://openairdocs.org/map.md?lat=38.5806&lon=-121.3705&mi=10
- Aircraft: N38908, registered now (https://openairdocs.org/aircraft/N38908) (OpenAirDocs)
- Registry model: Piper PA-32R-300 (registry code 7103213, https://openairdocs.org/model/piper-pa-32r-300) (OpenAirDocs)
- Registry engine: Lycoming IO-540 series (registry code 41530, https://openairdocs.org/engine/lycoming-io-540-series) (OpenAirDocs)
- Reported make and model: PIPER PA32R300
- Reported engine: LYC IO540G1D5
- People aboard: 1
- Fatal injuries: 0
- Pilot flight hours: 1,603 total, 1,000 in this make and model
- NTSB investigation: [NTSB LAX90LA108](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb/LAX90LA108) (OpenAirDocs)
- FAA source: FAA Aviation Safety Information Portal (https://asip.faa.gov/)
- Page: https://openairdocs.org/incident/19900119005719A

## Narrative

As the FAA filed it, in capitals; the FAA replaces private details with ^PRIVACY DATA OMITTED^.

STRUCK A LARGE BIRD IN TRAFFIC PATTERN AT NIGHT. IMPACT DAMAGED ELEVATORS IMPARING CONTROL BUT LANDED SAFELY.

## The NTSB's investigation of this event (1)

From the NTSB's public API. Aircraft are matched to registry aircraft by N-number and event date, checked against the reported serial number, make and model; the registry's history has gaps, so older matches can be wrong. Compare the reported make and model.

- [NTSB LAX90LA108](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb/LAX90LA108), Jan 20, 1990: Piper PA-32-R-300 (N38908), Sacramento, CA, substantial damage. Probable cause: AN INADVERTENT COLLISION WITH A LARGE BIRD DURING THE HOURS OF DARKNESS WHILE IN THE LANDING PATTERN.

## Other reports on N38908 (1)

Matched to the same aircraft by N-number and date.

- [Accident 19990528006159A](https://openairdocs.org/incident/19990528006159A), May 28, 1999: Piper PA32R300 (N38908), Valley Springs, CA, Substantial damage. Acft lost power, landed in a field. (.4)the airplane had a catastrophic engine failure while the pilot was in cruise flight at 4,500 feet. The pilot declared…

From the FAA Accident/Incident Data System. Reports are matched to registry aircraft by N-number and event date, checked against the reported make and model; the registry's history has gaps, so older matches can be wrong. Compare the reported make and model. For accidents, the NTSB's own investigation is the fuller record.

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