# Accident 20080404013099A: Piper PA28236, Alturas, CA, April 4, 2008

- Type: FAA accident report (Accident/Incident Data System), as reported
- Date: April 4, 2008, 13:58 local time
- Place: Alturas, CA
- Airport: Alturas Municipal
- Damage: Substantial damage
- Phase of flight: Level Off Touchdown
- Operating rules: General operating rules (Part 91)
- Location: 41.4828° N, 120.5653° W: From the FAA
- Nearby events: https://openairdocs.org/map.md?lat=41.4828&lon=-120.5653&mi=10
- Aircraft: N2092E, a cancelled registration (https://openairdocs.org/deregistered/N2092E-2010-02-10) (OpenAirDocs)
- Registry model: Piper PA-28-236 (registry code 7102815, https://openairdocs.org/model/piper-pa-28-236) (OpenAirDocs)
- Registry engine: Lycoming 0-540 series (registry code 41532, https://openairdocs.org/engine/lycoming-0-540-series) (OpenAirDocs)
- Reported make and model: PIPER PA28236
- Fatal injuries: 0
- Pilot flight hours: 151 total, 94 in this make and model, 7 in the last 90 days
- NTSB investigation: [NTSB SEA08CA103](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb/SEA08CA103) (OpenAirDocs)
- FAA source: FAA Aviation Safety Information Portal (https://asip.faa.gov/)
- Page: https://openairdocs.org/incident/20080404013099A

## Narrative

As the FAA filed it, in capitals; the FAA replaces private details with ^PRIVACY DATA OMITTED^.

(-23) THE PILOT STATED THAT THE SURFACE WINDS AT AAT WERE 250 DEGREES AT 22 KNOTS, GUSTING TO 30. HE MADE A RIGHT-HAND PATTERN FOR RUNWAY 21. HE STATED THAT DURING HIS FLARE AND TOUCHDOWN A STRONG WIND GUST BLEW HIM LEFT OF THE RUNWAY AND HE STRUCK THE THRESHOLD LIGHTS. HE SAID THAT HE POWERED ON FOR A GO AROUND, BUT A WIND GUST PICKED UP THE RIGHT WING AND BLEW HIM OVER. ACCORDING TO TWO EYEWITNESSES THE AIRPLANE BECAME AIRBORNE BRIEFLY ON A 180 DEGREE HEADING, BUT THE LEFT WING DIPPED SHARPLY AND STRUCK THE GROUND. THEN IN A SEMI-CARTWHEEL/ROLLOVER THE NOSE IMPACTED THE GROUND. THE RIGHT WING HIT THE GROUND, AND THE AIRPLANE CAME TO REST, INVERTED, POINTING 270 DEGREES. BOTH WINGS ARE BROKEN OFF, THE TAIL IS BENT SIDEWAYS, AND THE ENGINE IS TWISTED 90 DEGREES IN ITS MOUNTS. THE PROPELLER SURGED INTO THE GROUND AND BROKE OFF WHEN THE NOSE HIT. THE ELT ACTIVATED AND THERE WERE NO FIRES. THE EYEWITNESSES IMMEDIATELY DROVE TO THE CRASH SITE AND FOUND THE PILOT WALKING AWAY WHILE CALLING 911 ON HIS CELL PHONE. THE FIRE DEPARTMENT TURNED OFF THE ELT AND DISCONNECTED ELECTRICAL POWER. THE TANKS ARE INTACT, BUT THERE ARE MULTIPLE FUEL LEAKS AT THE CRASH SITE, APPROX. 200 YARD SOUTH OF RUNWAY 21.

## 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 SEA08CA103](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb/SEA08CA103), Apr 4, 2008: Piper PA-28-236 (N2092E), Alturas, CA, substantial damage. Probable cause: The pilot's inadequate compensation for the gusty crosswind conditions. The wind gusts were a contributing factor.

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.