# Accident 19911201053959A: Piper STCPA22, Palo Alto, CA, December 1, 1991

- Type: FAA accident report (Accident/Incident Data System), as reported
- Date: December 1, 1991, 15:55 local time
- Place: Palo Alto, CA
- Airport: Palo Alto Airport-Santa Clara Cou
- Damage: Substantial damage
- Phase of flight: Roll-Out (Fixed Wing)
- Operating rules: General operating rules (Part 91)
- Location: 37.3404° N, 121.8790° W: From the FAA, an estimate near the named town, within about 3 miles
- Nearby events: https://openairdocs.org/map.md?lat=37.3404&lon=-121.8790&mi=10
- Aircraft: N3170Z, registered now (https://openairdocs.org/aircraft/N3170Z) (OpenAirDocs)
- Registry model: Piper PA-22-150 (registry code 7102210, https://openairdocs.org/model/piper-pa-22-150) (OpenAirDocs)
- Registry engine: Lycoming 0-320 series (registry code 41508, https://openairdocs.org/engine/lycoming-0-320-series) (OpenAirDocs)
- Reported make and model: PIPER STCPA22
- Reported engine: LYC O320A1A
- People aboard: 4
- Fatal injuries: 0
- Pilot flight hours: 1,162 total, 45 in this make and model, 16 in the last 90 days
- NTSB investigation: [NTSB LAX92LA056](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb/LAX92LA056) (OpenAirDocs)
- FAA source: FAA Aviation Safety Information Portal (https://asip.faa.gov/)
- Page: https://openairdocs.org/incident/19911201053959A

## Narrative

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

LOST DIRECTIONAL CONTROL LANDING. GROUND LOOPED. PA22150 MODIFIED TO A TAIL WHEEL VERSION.

## 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 LAX92LA056](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb/LAX92LA056), Dec 1, 1991: Piper PA22-150 (N3170Z), Palo Alto, CA, substantial damage. Probable cause: THE PILOT'S FAILURE TO MAINTAIN DIRECTIONAL CONTROL DURING THE LANDING ROLLOUT.

## Other reports on N3170Z (2)

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

- [Accident 20260228001699A](https://openairdocs.org/incident/20260228001699A), Feb 28, 2026: Piper PA-22-150 (N3170Z), Oroville, CA, Destroyed, 1 fatal. On February 28, 2026, about 0948 pacific standard time, a Piper PA-22-150, [privacy data omitted], was destroyed when it was involved in an accident near…
- [Accident 20010518010459A](https://openairdocs.org/incident/20010518010459A), May 18, 2001: Piper PA22150 (N3170Z), Concord, CA, No damage. (-23)During landing attempt at Buchanan Field Airport on runway 32R at "c" intersection, pilot "ground looped" aircraft. Pilot received a crosswind and bounced…

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.

---
OpenAirDocs.org is an independent research project of [Contrail Labs](https://contraillabs.com/). It is not affiliated with the FAA or the NTSB. Source documents are U.S. government works in the public domain.