# Accident 20001031017239A: Piper PA32R301, Dayton, NV, October 31, 2000 - Type: FAA accident report (Accident/Incident Data System), as reported - Date: October 31, 2000, 17:46 local time - Place: Dayton, NV - Airport: Dayton Valley Airpark Airport - Damage: Substantial damage - Phase of flight: Final Approach - Operating rules: General operating rules (Part 91) - Location: 39.2595° N, 119.4796° W: From the FAA, an estimate near the named town, within about 3 miles - Nearby events: https://openairdocs.org/map.md?lat=39.2595&lon=-119.4796&mi=10 - Aircraft: N8139A, a cancelled registration (https://openairdocs.org/deregistered/N8139A-2002-03-18) (OpenAirDocs) - Registry model: Piper PA-32R-301 (registry code 7103218, https://openairdocs.org/model/piper-pa-32r-301) (OpenAirDocs) - Registry engine: Lycoming IO-540 series (registry code 41530, https://openairdocs.org/engine/lycoming-io-540-series) (OpenAirDocs) - Reported make and model: PIPER PA32R301 - People aboard: 2 - Fatal injuries: 0 - Pilot flight hours: 6,185 total, 152 in this make and model, 101 in the last 90 days - NTSB investigation: [NTSB LAX01LA030](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb/LAX01LA030) (OpenAirDocs) - FAA source: FAA Aviation Safety Information Portal (https://asip.faa.gov/) - Page: https://openairdocs.org/incident/20001031017239A ## Narrative As the FAA filed it, in capitals; the FAA replaces private details with ^PRIVACY DATA OMITTED^. (-23) DURING A SECOND APPROACH TO LAND AT THE UNLIGHTED AIRPORT AT DAYTON, NEVADA, THE PILOT MISJUDGED THE LOCATION OF THE RUNWAY AND LOST VISUAL REFERENCE. HE CONTINUED ON THE DESCENT AND FLEW THE A/C INTO THE GROUND APPROX. 500 FEET SHORT AND 150 FEET NORTH OF THE RUNWAY. THE FIRST ATTEMPT TO LAND RESULTED IN A GO-AROUND DUR TO MISALIGNMENT APPROX. ONE HOUR AFTER OFFICIAL SUNSET. THE A/C WAS CONFIGURED TO LAND AND IMPACTED ON THE LANDING GEAR SHEARING THE GEAR AND COMING TO REST ON THE BELLY OF THE A/C WITHDAMAGE TO THE WINGS, FUSELAGE, PROP, ENGINE MOUNTS AND HORIZONTAL STABILIZER. (.4) ON OCTOBER 31, 2000, AT 1746 HOURS PACIFIC STANDARD TIME, A PIPER PA-32R-301, N8139A, UNDERSHOT THE RUNWAY AND COLLIDED WITH DESERT BRUSH AT THE DAYTON VALLEY AIRPARK AIRPORT, DAYTON VALLEY, NEVADA. THE AIRPLANE, OPERATED BY AERO LEASING, D.B.A. UNION FLIGHTS, UNDER THE PROVISIONS OF 14 CFR PART 91, SUSTAINED SUBSTANTIAL DAMAGE. THE COMMERCIAL PILOT AND PILOT RATED PASSENGER WERE NOT INJURED. VISUAL METEOROLOGICAL CONDITIONS PREVAILED FOR THE BUSINESS FLIGHT THAT DEPARTED THE REDDING MUNICIPAL AIRPORT, REDDING, CALIFORNIA, AT 1645, AND NO FLIGHT PLAN WAS FILED. THE FLIGHT WAS SCHEDULED TO TO TERMINATE AT THE DAYTON VALLEY AIRPARK. IN AN INTERVIEW WITH A SAFETY BOARD INVESTIGATOR, THE PILOT STATED THAT HE AND THE PASSENGER, WHO IS A MECHANIC FOR UNION FLIGHTS, HAD FLOWN TO REDDING EARLIER IN THE DAY TO WORK ON A COMPANY AIRPLANE. NO ABNORMALITIES WERE NOTED ON THE FLIGHT TO REDDING OR THE RETURN TRIP TO DAYTON. HE NOTED THAT THE ARRIVAL TO DAYTON WAS AFTER SUNSET, AND REPORTED THAT THE AIRPORT DOES NOT HAVE LIGHTING. IN THE PILOT'S WRITTEN STATEMENT TO THE SAFETY BOARD, HE REPORTED THAT HE ORIENTED HIMSELF TO RUNWAY 23 UTILIZING THE SURROUNDING GROUND LIGHTING AND LIGHTS FROM THE COMPANY'S OPEN HANGAR. HE INDICATED THAT HE DID NOT LIKE WHAT HE SAW ON THE FIRST APPROACH AND INITIATED A GO-AROUND. ON FINAL FOR THE SECOND APPROACH, AT 200 FEET ABOVE GROUND LEVEL (AGL), HE VERIFIED THAT THERE WAS A THREE GREEN LIGHT INDICATION ON THE INSTRUMENT PANEL, CONFIRMING THAT THE LANDING GEAR WAS IN THE DOWN AND LOCKED POSITION. WHEN HE LOOKED OUTSIDE HE STATED THAT THE "LIGHTS WERE FUZZY AND NOT SHARP." HE THOUGHT HE HAD FLOWN THROUGH A DUST CLOUD. THE NEXT THING HE REMEMBERED WAS THE PASSENGER STATING THAT THEY HAD JUST CRASHED. THE PILOT FURTHER REPORTED THAT THE WEATHER WAS CALM. ACCORDING TO A SUN AND MOON PROGRAM UTILIZED BY THE SAFETY BOARD, OFFICIAL SUNSET WAS 1703. ## 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 LAX01LA030](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb/LAX01LA030), Nov 1, 2000: Piper PA-32R-301 (N8139A), Dayton Valley, NV, substantial damage. Probable cause: The pilot's failure to attain a proper glide path during the final approach resulting in an undershoot of the runway. Factors were the lack of runway lights and night lighting condition. ## Other reports on N8139A (1) Matched to the same aircraft by N-number and date. - [Incident 19880205009089I](https://openairdocs.org/incident/19880205009089I), Feb 5, 1988: Piper PA32R301 (N8139A), Fresno, CA. On landing rollout the gear lights showed unsafe gear. Found bent tab on the nose gear down limit switch actuator 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.