# NTSB ANC25LA032: Piper PA-32-300, N32371, Redding, CA, March 8, 2025

- Type: NTSB accident investigation
- Classification: Accident · No injuries · Class 4 · Limited · Final report
- Date: March 7, 2025, 19:02 local (Mar 8, 2025, 03:02 UTC)
- Place: Redding, CA · runway 34
- Coordinates: 40.507251, -122.29885
- Nearby events: https://openairdocs.org/map.md?lat=40.5073&lon=-122.2989&mi=10
- Phase of flight: [Landing](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-phases/550) (OpenAirDocs' grouping)
- Defining event: [Landing-flare/touchdown: Hard landing](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-events/092)
- Highest injury: No injuries
- Injuries: 3 uninjured
- Status: Completed
- Report: Approved by Office Director
- Investigation class: Class 4 - Basic report with no Prelim publish
- NTSB office: Alaska Regional Office
- Parties: FAA
- NTSB case key (mKey): 199975
- NTSB case page: https://web.ntsb.gov/investigations/?ntsbnumber=ANC25LA032
- NTSB report (PDF, downloads): https://data.ntsb.gov/carol-repgen/api/Aviation/ReportMain/GenerateNewestReport/199975/pdf
- NTSB docket: https://data.ntsb.gov/Docket?ProjectID=199975
- Page: https://openairdocs.org/ntsb/ANC25LA032

## Probable cause

The pilot's failure to maintain a stabilized approach and his delayed action to perform a go-around, resulting in a collision with the runway surface.

## Findings

NTSB's coded findings; those marked are part of the probable cause.

- [Performance/control parameters: landing flare](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-findings/01062041): Aircraft › Aircraft oper/perf/capability · Not attained/maintained (probable cause)
- [Use of equip/info: aircraft control](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-findings/02063040): Personnel issues › Task performance · Pilot (probable cause)

## Analysis

The pilot reported that, during landing, the airplane encountered low level wind shear as it passed through 500 ft above ground level (AGL). He said that during the initial approach, the airplane had a 20-knot headwind; however, near the ground, the wind shifted to a tailwind and the airplane subsequently nosedived. The nose wheel impacted the ground hard, and the propeller struck the ground. The pilot then attempted a go-around, but the engine did not respond and the second impact with the ground resulted in the nosewheel collapsing. The airplane sustained substantial damage to the fuselage. Surface wind conditions at the accident airport were reported as calm immediately before and after the accident. The pilot reported no preaccident mechanical malfunctions or failures that would have precluded normal operation.

## Sequence of events

The events NTSB coded, in order, by phase of flight. The defining event best describes what happened.

- [Landing-flare/touchdown: Hard landing](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-events/092) (defining event)

## Aircraft

- Registration: [N32371](https://openairdocs.org/deregistered/N32371-2025-12-03), registration cancelled 2025-12-03, S/N 32-7540035, built 1974 (OpenAirDocs)
- Reported make and model: PIPER PA-32-300
- Registry model: [Piper PA-32-300](https://openairdocs.org/model/piper-pa-32-300) (registry code 7103212) (OpenAirDocs)
- Registry engine: [Lycoming TI0-540 series](https://openairdocs.org/engine/lycoming-ti0-540-series) (registry code 41533, turbo-prop) (OpenAirDocs)
- Category: Airplane
- Serial number: 32-7540035
- Year built: 1974
- Engines: LYCOMING TIO-540 KIAS 300 horsepower reciprocating
- Damage: Substantial damage
- Flight: Personal, Part 91
- Airworthiness certificate: Standard, Normal
- Last inspection: Annual, June 19, 2024, 157 hours before
- Departed: KSBA, Santa Barbara, CA
- Destination: Same as departure
- Airport: KRDD, Redding, runway 34, 7,000 × 150 ft, asphalt
- Equipment: Auto-pilot, ADS-B

## Flight crew

As NTSB recorded them. NTSB leaves out names.

- Pilot; age 66; injuries: none; private; airplane ratings: single-engine land; medical: class 3, with waivers/limitations; last flight review April 25, 2023; seat: left; restraint: 3-point; flight hours: 612 total, 134 in this make and model, 485 as pilot in command, 45 in the last 90 days, 6 in the last 30 days

## Weather

- Conditions: Visual (VMC), Dusk
- Wind: calm
- Visibility: 10 statute miles
- Lowest ceiling: none
- Temperature: 55 °F, dew point 34 °F
- Altimeter: 30.15 inHg
- Observed at: KRDD
- METAR: METAR KRDD 080353Z 31006KT 10SM CLR 13/M04 A3015 RMK AO2 SLP208 ACFT MSHP T01281039=
SPECI KRDD 080326Z 00000KT 10SM CLR 13/M01 A3015 RMK AO2 ACFT MSHP T01331011=
SPECI KRDD 080318Z 00000KT 10SM CLR 13/M03 A3014 RMK AO2 T01281033=
METAR KRDD 080253Z 00000KT 10SM CLR 14/M04 A3014 RMK AO2 SLP205 T01391039 53011=


## FAA reports on this event (1)

The FAA's own accident and incident reports, matched to the aircraft by N-number and date (OpenAirDocs).

- [Accident 20250307005209A](https://openairdocs.org/incident/20250307005209A), Mar 7, 2025: Piper PA-32-300, Redding, CA, Substantial damage. On 03/07/2025 @ 19:10 local time the aircraft suffered a hard landing on runway 34 at Redding airport (rdd). From examination of the accident scene on…

## Docket (2 files)

The files NTSB released with the investigation on August 11, 2025, on NTSB's docket system: https://data.ntsb.gov/Docket?ProjectID=199975. 4.0 MB in all.

- Pilot/operator aircraft accident report, NTSB form 6120.1 (item 1, PDF, 10 pages, 3.2 MB): https://data.ntsb.gov/Docket/Document/docBLOB?ID=18637132&FileExtension=pdf&FileName=ANC25LA032%206120_Redacted-Rel.pdf
- Investigative photographs (item 2, PDF, 4 pages, 848 KB): https://data.ntsb.gov/Docket/Document/docBLOB?ID=18637330&FileExtension=pdf&FileName=ANC25LA032%20photo-Rel.pdf

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.

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