# Accident 20010209002279A: Beech A36, Palo Alto, CA, February 9, 2001 - Type: FAA accident report (Accident/Incident Data System), as reported - Date: February 9, 2001, 14:12 local time - Place: Palo Alto, CA - Airport: Palo Alto Airport-Santa Clara Cou - Damage: No damage - Operating rules: General operating rules (Part 91) - Location: 37.4493° N, 122.1006° W: From the FAA, an estimate near the named town, within about 3 miles - Nearby events: https://openairdocs.org/map.md?lat=37.4493&lon=-122.1006&mi=10 - Aircraft: N3191A, registered now (https://openairdocs.org/aircraft/N3191A) (OpenAirDocs) - Registry model: Raytheon A36 (registry code 7150001, https://openairdocs.org/model/raytheon-a36) (OpenAirDocs) - Registry engine: Continental IO-550 series (registry code 17042, https://openairdocs.org/engine/continental-io-550-series) (OpenAirDocs) - Reported make and model: BEECH A36 - NTSB investigation: [NTSB LAX01LA095](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb/LAX01LA095) (OpenAirDocs) - FAA source: FAA Aviation Safety Information Portal (https://asip.faa.gov/) - Page: https://openairdocs.org/incident/20010209002279A ## Narrative As the FAA filed it, in capitals; the FAA replaces private details with ^PRIVACY DATA OMITTED^. (.19) ON 2/09/ 2001 AT 1412 HOURS PACIFIC STANDARD TIME, A BEECH A36, N3191A, SUSTAINED SUBSTANTIAL DAMAGE WHEN THE LEFT WING STRUCK THE GROUND DURING AN ATTEMPTED GO-AROUND AT PALO ALTO, CALIFORNIA AIRPORT. THE AIRPLANE WAS OWNED AND OPERATED UNDER THE PROVISIONS OF CFR 14 PART 91 BY THE PRIVATE PILOT WHO WAS NOT INJURED. VISUAL METEOROLOGICAL CONDITIONS PREVAILED AND NO FLIGHT PLAN WAS FILED FOR THE PERSONAL FLIGHT, WHICH ORIGINATED FROM PALO ALTO AT APPRX. 1400. THE PILOT WAS INTERVIEWED BY NATIONAL TRANSPORTATION SAFETY BOARD INVESTIGATORS. HE STATED THIS WAS HIS FIRST SOLO FLIGHT IN THE AIRPLANE AND HIS INTENTION WAS TO PRACTICE TAKEOFFS AND LANDINGS. HE EXTENDED DOWNWIND FOR SPACING ON A SLOWER AIRPLANE AND DOES NOT RECALL CHECKING THE POSITION OF THE FLAPS. THE FINAL APPROACH WAS STABLE AT 80 KNOTS BUT WHEN HE WAS ABOUT 10 FEET OFF THE GROUND HE SENSED THE AIRPLANE WAS SINKING FASTER THAN NORMAL AND ELECTED TO GO AROUND. HE ADDED POWER BUT DID NOT FEEL THE ENGINE RESPOND. THE AIRPLANE VEERED LEFT AND THE LEFT WING STRUCK THE GROUND, THE ELFT GEAR WAS SHEARED OFF, AND THE PROPELLER WAS TORN OFF THE ENGINE. THE PILOT SAID THAT AFTER EXAMINING THE AIRPLANE THE FLAPS THE PILOT STATED THE AIRPLANE WAS EQUIPPED WITH AN ALLIS ON 250-17 TURBOPROP ENGINE, AND THAT HE HAD PURCHASED IT IN AUGUST 2000. HE HAD RECEIVED DUAL ISNTRUCTION IN THE AIRPLANE BUT HIS INSURANCE CARRIER REQUIRED HE HOLD AN INSTRUMENT RATING PRIOR TO ACTING AS PILOT-IN-COMMAND. HIS INSTRUMENT RATING WAS RECEIVED FEBRUARY 7, 2001. (-23)N3191A WAS ATTEMPTING TO LAND ON RUNWAY 30 AT PAO. DURING THE FLARE, THE PILOT FELT THE SINK RATE WAS TOO HIGH, AND HE APPLIED POWER TO GO-AROUND. THE AIRCRAFT VEERED TO THE LEFT. THE PILOT STRAIGHTENED THE FLIGHT PATH OVER THE PARALLEL TAXIWAY AT ABOUT 40 FEET AGL, BUT THE PILOT REPORTED SEEING THE PROPELLER SPINNING SLOWER THAN EXPECTED. THE AIRCRAFT MUSHED-NOSE LOW-INTO THE GRASS BETWEEN THE TAXIWAY AND THE RUNWAY. THE PROPELLER AND GEARBOX WERE RIPPED OFF THE AIRCRAFT, THE NOSE GEAR AND LEFT MAIN GEAR WERE DAMAGED, AND BOTH WINGS WERE DAMAGED. THE PROPELLER BLADES WERE FOUND IN THE FEATHERED POSITION. THE PILOT WAS NOT INJURED. INVESTIGATION REVEALED THAT THE AIRCRAFT HAD SUFFICIENT FUEL ON BOARD, AND THERE WAS NO WATER DRAINED FROM THE FUEL TANK SUMPS. THE PROPELLER BETA CONTROL ROD WAS FOUND DISCONNECTE D WITH NO SAFETY WIRE ATTACHED TO THE SECURING NUT. THIS WOULD HAVE CAUSED A LOSS OF OIL PRESSURE CAUSING THE BLADES TO FEATHER. ## 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 LAX01LA095](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb/LAX01LA095), Feb 9, 2001: Beech A36 (N3191A), Palo Alto, CA, substantial damage. Probable cause: The pilot-in-command's delayed decision to go-around and his failure to maintain sufficient airspeed during the attempted go-around. His non-verification of the flap setting contributed to the… 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.