- Date
- June 28, 2015, 11:45 local (18:45 UTC)
- Place
- Novato, CA
- Injuries
- 2 minor, 2 uninjured
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Phase of flight
- Landing
- Aircraft
- N9069JPiper PA 28-180
- Defining event
- Landing-flare/touchdown: Abnormal runway contact
- Weather
- Visual (VMC) · Day
- Status
- Completed · report August 12, 2015
- Report
- Approved by Office Director
- NTSB office
- General Aviation Accidents
- Parties
- Federal Aviation Administration
- FAA report
- 20150628010859A
- Case key
- 91466
From the NTSB’s public API. By law, NTSB reports can’t be used as evidence in lawsuits over the accident.
On this page
Probable cause
The pilot's improper pitch control which resulted in a bounced landing, runway excursion, and collision with terrain.
Findings · 4
NTSB’s coded findings. Those marked are part of the probable cause; the rest are factors or other findings. Under each, the cases with the same finding.
Sequence of events
The events NTSB coded, in order, by phase of flight. The defining event is the one that best describes the accident. Under each, the cases with the same event anywhere in their sequence.
Analysis
The pilot reported that during the landing the airplane bounced several times while attempting to compensate for a right quartering crosswind. The pilot stated that he believed the landing gear had failed as a result of the hard landing and, "intentionally guided the plane off the runway into the grass, in fear of an explosion." As a result of the runway excursion, the airplane impacted a ditch and sustained substantial damage as the left wing separated from the fuselage. The pilot reported that there were no mechanical malfunctions or failures with the airplane prior to or during flight that would have precluded normal operation.
Factual narrative
The pilot reported that during the landing the airplane bounced several times while attempting to compensate for a right quartering crosswind. The pilot stated that he believed the landing gear had failed as a result of the hard landing and, "intentionally guided the plane off the runway into the grass, in fear of an explosion." As a result of the runway excursion, the airplane impacted a ditch and sustained substantial damage as the left wing separated from the fuselage. The pilot reported that there were no mechanical malfunctions or failures with the airplane prior to or during flight that would have precluded normal operation.
Aircraft
- Registration
- N9069J
- Reported as
- Piper PA 28-180 (180)
- Category
- Airplane
- Serial number
- 28-3104
- Built
- 1966
- Airframe hours
- 3,009.7
- Engine
- Lycoming O-360-A3A, 180 horsepower, reciprocating
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Personal · Part 91
- Operator
- Rmg Partners Corp
- Registered owner
- Rmg Partners Corp
- Airworthiness certificate
- Standard, Normal
- Last inspection
- Annual · June 13, 2014 · 132 hours before
- Departed
- KRNO · Reno, NV
- Destination
- KDVO · Novato, CA
- Airport
- DVO · Novato, runway 13, 3,300 × 75 ft, asphalt
- Equipment
- Electronic flight bag or handheld device
Matched to the registry by N-number and the event date; the registry’s history has gaps, so older matches can be wrong. Compare the reported make and model.
Flight crew
As NTSB recorded them. NTSB leaves out names.
- Role
- Pilot
- Age
- 51
- Injuries
- Minor
- Certificate
- Private
- Airplane ratings
- Single-engine land
- Instrument ratings
- Airplane
- Medical
- Class 3, With waivers/limitations
- Last flight review
- August 26, 2014
- Seat
- Left
- Restraint
- Lap only
- Flight hours
- 388 total · 360 in this make and model · 293 as pilot in command · 32 in the last 90 days · 7 in the last 30 days · 2 in the last 24 hours
Weather
- Conditions
- Visual (VMC) · Day
- Wind
- 220° at 8 knots
- Visibility
- 10 statute miles
- Lowest ceiling
- None
- Temperature
- 72 °F, dew point 57 °F
- Altimeter
- 30.01 inHg
- Observed at
- KDVO
Docket · 4
The files NTSB released with the investigation on August 10, 2015, on NTSB’s docket system: statements, records, photos and specialists’ reports. 2.8 MB in all.
FAA reports on this event · 1
The FAA’s own accident and incident reports, matched to the aircraft by N-number and date.