# Accident 19980926026759A: Piper PA28180, Atwater, CA, September 26, 1998 - Type: FAA accident report (Accident/Incident Data System), as reported - Date: September 26, 1998, 10:15 local time - Place: Atwater, CA - Airport: Castle Afb - Damage: Substantial damage - Phase of flight: Level Off Touchdown - Operating rules: General operating rules (Part 91) - Location: 37.3501° N, 120.4199° W: From the FAA, an estimate near the named town, within about 3 miles - Nearby events: https://openairdocs.org/map.md?lat=37.3501&lon=-120.4199&mi=10 - Aircraft: N9085J, registered now (https://openairdocs.org/aircraft/N9085J) (OpenAirDocs) - Registry model: Piper PA-28-180 (registry code 7102808, https://openairdocs.org/model/piper-pa-28-180) (OpenAirDocs) - Registry engine: Lycoming O&VO-360 series (registry code 41514, https://openairdocs.org/engine/lycoming-o-vo-360-series) (OpenAirDocs) - Reported make and model: PIPER PA28180 - Reported engine: LYC O360A3A - People aboard: 2 - Fatal injuries: 0 - Pilot flight hours: 488 total, 305 in this make and model, 12 in the last 90 days - NTSB investigation: [NTSB LAX98LA307](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb/LAX98LA307) (OpenAirDocs) - FAA source: FAA Aviation Safety Information Portal (https://asip.faa.gov/) - Page: https://openairdocs.org/incident/19980926026759A ## Narrative As the FAA filed it, in capitals; the FAA replaces private details with ^PRIVACY DATA OMITTED^. DURING CROP DUSTING TRAINING FLIGHT OVER A FIELD, THE ACFT STALLED AND CRASHED.(-23) THE PILOT FAILED TO MAINTAIN CONTROL OF HIS PIPER, PA28-180, AIRCRAFT WHILE LANDING AT CASTLE AIRPORT. THE AIRCRAFT MADE A HARD LANDING IN A GRASS AREA LOCATED APPROXIMATELY 6000 FEET FROM THE APPROACH END OF RUNWAY 31 AND TO THE RIGHT OF THE RUNWAY. THE LEFT MAIN LANDING GEAR AND NOSE WHEEL SEPARATED FROM THE AIRCRAFT WHEN IT MADE CONTACT WITH THE GROUND. THE PILOT AND PASSENGER SAFELY EXITED THE AIRCRAFT AND HAD NO INJURIES. THE AIRCRAFT SUSTAINED SUBSTANTIAL DAMAGE AND THERE WAS NO FIRE. (.19) THE AIRCRAFT IMPACTED THE RUNWAY, BOUNCED AND THE NOSE WHEEL AND LEFT MAIN WERE SHEARED OFF. (.4) THE PURPOSE OF THE FLIGHT WAS TO ATTEND AN AIRSHOW AT THE ACCIDENT AIRPORT. THE PILOT FILED AN IFR FLIGHT PLAN AND CONDUCTED A PREFLIGHT INSPECTION, INCLUDING AN ENGINE RUN-UP WITH NO DISCREPANCIES NOTED. THE ACCIDENT AIRPORT HAD ISSUED A NOTAM CONCERNING TAKEOFF AND LANDING PROCEDURES ON THE 11,802-FOOT-LONG RUNWAY. AIRCRAFT WOULD BE TAKING OFF AND LANDING APPROXIMATELY 3,000 FEET APART IN THREE DIFFERENT LOCATIONS IDENTIFIED WITH DIFFERENT COLORED DOTS. THE NOTAM FURTHER STATED THAT THERE WOULD BE AN INC REASE IN TRAFFIC VOLUME AND THE TOWER WAS A TEMPORARY TOWER. THE PILOT HAD BEEN CLEARED TO LAND ON THE ORANGE DOT. THE PILOT COMPLIED WITH THIS REQUEST AND WAS ONCE AGAIN INSTRUCTED TO EXTEND HIS FINAL APPROACH TO THE GREEN DOT. PRIOR TO TOUCHDOWN THE PILOT HAD TO CORRECT FOR A LEFT CROSSWIND. HE REPORTED THAT THE WIND DECREASED IN VELOCITY AND THE AIRPLANE SINK RATE INCREASED. HE ADVANCED THE THROTTLE, AND WAS CAUGHT BY A GUST OF WIND ON THE LEFT SIDE. HE ADDED ADDITIONAL POWER AND CORRECTED FOR THE CROSSWIND CONDITION WITH OPPOSITE AILERON AND RUDDER INPUTS, BUT THE CONTROLS WERE INEFFECTIVE. THE AIRCRAFT COLLIDED WITH THE RUNWAY AND COLLAPSED THE LANDING GEAR. WITNESSES TO THE ACCIDENT STATED THAT A CROSSWIND CONDITION EXISTED AT THE TIME OF THE ACCIDENT. ## 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 LAX98LA307](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb/LAX98LA307), Sep 26, 1998: Piper PA-28-180 (N9085J), Merced, CA, substantial damage. Probable cause: The pilot's improper flare and his failure to adequately compensate for the existing crosswind conditions and maintain airplane control during landing. ## Other reports on N9085J (1) Matched to the same aircraft by N-number and date. - [Incident 20050614012909I](https://openairdocs.org/incident/20050614012909I), Jun 14, 2005: Piper PA28180 (N9085J), Corona, CA, Minor damage. (-23) Pilot of N9085J landed fast and ran off end of runway 25 at Corona, CA (ajo). 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.