# Accident 19960517010739A: Piper PA32RT300T, Kernville, CA, May 17, 1996

- Type: FAA accident report (Accident/Incident Data System), as reported
- Date: May 17, 1996, 12:50 local time
- Place: Kernville, CA
- Airport: Kern Valley Airport
- Damage: Destroyed
- Phase of flight: Level Off Touchdown
- Operating rules: General operating rules (Part 91)
- Location: 35.7300° N, 118.3895° W: From the FAA, an estimate near the named town, within about 3 miles
- Nearby events: https://openairdocs.org/map.md?lat=35.7300&lon=-118.3895&mi=10
- Aircraft: N21312, a cancelled registration (https://openairdocs.org/deregistered/N21312-2013-07-30) (OpenAirDocs)
- Registry model: Piper PA-32RT-300T (registry code 7103216, https://openairdocs.org/model/piper-pa-32rt-300t) (OpenAirDocs)
- Registry engine: Lycoming TI0-540 series (registry code 41533, https://openairdocs.org/engine/lycoming-ti0-540-series) (OpenAirDocs)
- Reported make and model: PIPER PA32RT300T
- Reported engine: LYC TIO540S1AD
- People aboard: 1
- Fatal injuries: 0
- Pilot flight hours: 308 total, 215 in this make and model, 109 in the last 90 days
- NTSB investigation: [NTSB LAX96LA202](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb/LAX96LA202) (OpenAirDocs)
- FAA source: FAA Aviation Safety Information Portal (https://asip.faa.gov/)
- Page: https://openairdocs.org/incident/19960517010739A

## Narrative

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

ENCOUNTERED DOWNDRAFT OVER NUMBERS LANDING. IMPACT COLLAPSED LANDING GEAR. AIRCRAFT SLID DOWN EMBANKMENT. DESTROYED

## 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 LAX96LA202](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb/LAX96LA202), May 17, 1996: Piper PA-32RT-300T (N21312), Kernville, CA, substantial damage. Probable cause: the pilot's inadequate compensation for the downdraft condition and subsequent failure to maintain a proper rate of descent.

## Other reports on N21312 (1)

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

- [Accident 19991213042439A](https://openairdocs.org/incident/19991213042439A), Dec 13, 1999: Piper PA32RT300T (N21312), Ft Lauderdale, FL, Substantial damage. (-23)A/c departed runway 27L and impacted several pine trees, before coming to rest in about 12 ft of water. The a/c was substantially damaged. (.4)at about…

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.
