20060408018889A

Accident · Substantial damage

FAA accident report · Piper PA-28-181 · Coalinga, CA · April 8, 2006

Date: April 8, 2006 · 12:00 local
Place: Coalinga, CA
Airport: Harris Ranch Airport
Phase of flight: Level Off Touchdown
Operating rules: General operating rules (Part 91)
Damage: Substantial damage
Aircraft: N8068J
NTSB investigation: NTSBLAX06CA272
Reported as: Piper PA28181
Reported engine: Lycoming O360*
People aboard: 4
Fatal injuries: 0

N8068JRegistered now · Piper PA-28-181S/N 28-8290084 · Built 1981 Airframe modelPiper PA-28-181 Engine modelLycoming O&VO-360 seriesReciprocating

From the FAA’s Accident/Incident Data System (AIDS), through its Aviation Safety Information Portal, as reported. The NTSB investigates accidents separately, and its record of an accident is the fuller one. The aircraft is matched to the registry 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.

What happened

The FAA’s narrative, in sentence case. The FAA writes it in capitals and removes private details.

(-23) The aircraft was landing at Harris Ranch Airport when the pilot reported a cross wind as he touched down. The nose landing gear collapsed and bent aft causing damage to the firewall and lower fuselage just aft of the firewall. The pilot lost directional control and exited the runway into the dirt at mid field. There were no injuries to the pilot or 3 passengers. This event was reported to the FAA and NTSB on the same day by local authorities but was not reported to the FSDO until the airport operator called and reported an abandoned aircraft. This resulted in an inspector proceeding to the scene and discovering the extent of the damage. The aircraft owner/operator, a flight school has gone out of business and the pilot appears to have returned to taiwan and the FAA was unable to contact either party.

As the FAA filed it

(-23) THE AIRCRAFT WAS LANDING AT HARRIS RANCH AIRPORT WHEN THE PILOT REPORTED A CROSS WIND AS HE TOUCHED DOWN. THE NOSE LANDING GEAR COLLAPSED AND BENT AFT CAUSING DAMAGE TO THE FIREWALL AND LOWER FUSELAGE JUST AFT OF THE FIREWALL. THE PILOT LOST DIRECTIONAL CONTROL AND EXITED THE RUNWAY INTO THE DIRT AT MID FIELD. THERE WERE NO INJURIES TO THE PILOT OR 3 PASSENGERS. THIS EVENT WAS REPORTED TO THE FAA AND NTSB ON THE SAME DAY BY LOCAL AUTHORITIES BUT WAS NOT REPORTED TO THE FSDO UNTIL THE AIRPORT OPERATOR CALLED AND REPORTED AN ABANDONED AIRCRAFT. THIS RESULTED IN AN INSPECTOR PROCEEDING TO THE SCENE AND DISCOVERING THE EXTENT OF THE DAMAGE. THE AIRCRAFT OWNER/OPERATOR, A FLIGHT SCHOOL HAS GONE OUT OF BUSINESS AND THE PILOT APPEARS TO HAVE RETURNED TO TAIWAN AND THE FAA WAS UNABLE TO CONTACT EITHER PARTY.

NTSB investigation

The NTSB’s investigation of this event, with its probable cause and findings. Matched to this report by N-number and date.

NTSB LAX06CA272Accident · No injuriesData collectionFinal reportCoalinga, CAthe pilot's misjudged landing flare, which resulted in a bounced landing, and his inadequate recovery technique that led to a hard landing.Apr 8, 2006 · Substantial damage

Other reports on N8068J · 2

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

Incident 20260227005631ITaxi · Decatur, ALPilot taxied [privacy data omitted] into [privacy data omitted] with the intent to fly. Reported no damage to [privacy data omitted] and minor damage to [privacy data omitted]. No injuries reported.Feb 27, 2026 · Minor damage Accident 19880504054519ANormal Cruise · Freeport, BahamasFlew too close to a thunderstorm. Severe turbulence wrinkled wings. Completed trip and returned before noting damageMay 4, 1988 · Substantial damage