What happened
The FAA’s narrative, in sentence case. The FAA writes it in capitals and removes private details.
(.19) On March 7, 2002, at 1145 pacific standard time, a Piper PA-28R-180, N800RC, departed runway 14 after an attempted go-around, and came to rest in a broccoli field at the Harris Ranch Airport (3O8), Coalinga, California. The airplane, rented from memley aviation, inc., by the pilot and operated under the provisions of 14 CFR part 91, sustained substantial damage. The private pilot and one passenger were not injured. Visual meteorological conditions prevailed for the local area flight that departed from the fresno-chandler downtown airport, fresno, California, at an unknown time. No flight plan had been filed. A federal aviation administration (FAA) inspector interviewed the pilot. The pilot stated that he was landing to the south with a crosswind. On initial touchdown, the pilot did not believe he would have enough runway to safely stop the airplane. He added full power, initiated a go-around, and the airplane departed the runway. The pilot reduced the power and went into a broccoli field. (-23) pilot lost directional control of the aircraft after landing in strong gusty crosswind.
As the FAA filed it
(.19) ON MARCH 7, 2002, AT 1145 PACIFIC STANDARD TIME, A PIPER PA-28R-180, N800RC, DEPARTED RUNWAY 14 AFTER AN ATTEMPTED GO-AROUND, AND CAME TO REST IN A BROCCOLI FIELD AT THE HARRIS RANCH AIRPORT (3O8), COALINGA, CALIFORNIA. THE AIRPLANE, RENTED FROM MEMLEY AVIATION, INC., BY THE PILOT AND OPERATED UNDER THE PROVISIONS OF 14 CFR PART 91, SUSTAINED SUBSTANTIAL DAMAGE. THE PRIVATE PILOT AND ONE PASSENGER WERE NOT INJURED. VISUAL METEOROLOGICAL CONDITIONS PREVAILED FOR THE LOCAL AREA FLIGHT THAT DEPARTED FROM THE FRESNO-CHANDLER DOWNTOWN AIRPORT, FRESNO, CALIFORNIA, AT AN UNKNOWN TIME. NO FLIGHT PLAN HAD BEEN FILED. A FEDERAL AVIATION ADMINISTRATION (FAA) INSPECTOR INTERVIEWED THE PILOT. THE PILOT STATED THAT HE WAS LANDING TO THE SOUTH WITH A CROSSWIND. ON INITIAL TOUCHDOWN, THE PILOT DID NOT BELIEVE HE WOULD HAVE ENOUGH RUNWAY TO SAFELY STOP THE AIRPLANE. HE ADDED FULL POWER, INITIATED A GO-AROUND, AND THE AIRPLANE DEPARTED THE RUNWAY. THE PILOT REDUCED THE POWER AND WENT INTO A BROCCOLI FIELD. (-23) PILOT LOST DIRECTIONAL CONTROL OF THE AIRCRAFT AFTER LANDING IN STRONG GUSTY CROSSWIND.
NTSB investigation
The NTSB’s investigation of this event, with its probable cause and findings. Matched to this report by N-number and date.