- Date
- June 4, 2017, 13:20 local (20:20 UTC)
- Place
- Big Bear, CA
- Injuries
- 2 uninjured
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Phase of flight
- Landing
- Aircraft
- N9238WPiper PA28
- Defining event
- Landing: Hard landing
- Weather
- Visual (VMC) · Day
- Status
- Completed · report September 7, 2017
- Report
- Approved by Office Director
- NTSB office
- General Aviation Accidents
- Parties
- FAA
- FAA report
- 20170604024049A
- Case key
- 95409
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 landing flare, which resulted in a hard landing and a subsequent loss of directional control.
Findings · 3
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 flare, the airplane encountered a "sudden massive gust of wind" that pitched the nose up. He pushed the yoke forward, but the wind shifted to a tailwind, and the airplane "slammed" onto the runway. Subsequently, the left main landing gear collapsed, the airplane veered right off the runway, and it then came to rest nose down. The airplane sustained substantial damage to the left wing. The pilot reported that there were no preaccident mechanical failures or malfunctions with the airplane that would have precluded normal operation. The automated weather observation system at the airport reported that, about the time of the accident, the wind was from 260° at 4 knots. The pilot landed on runway 26.
Factual narrative
The pilot reported that, during the landing flare the airplane encountered a "sudden massive gust of wind" that pitched the nose up. He pushed the yoke forward, but the wind shifted to a tailwind and the airplane "slammed" onto the runway. Subsequently, the left main landing gear collapsed, the airplane veered right off the runway and came to rest nose down. The airplane sustained substantial damage to the left wing. The pilot reported that there were no preaccident mechanical failures or malfunctions with the airplane that would have precluded normal operation. The automated weather observation system at the accident airport reported, about the time of the accident, the wind was from 260° at 4 knots. The pilot landed on runway 26. Note: The accident airport is at an elevation of about 6752 ft., with a calculated density altitude about the time of the accident of 9211 feet.
Aircraft
- Registration
- N9238W
- Reported as
- Piper PA28 (235)
- Category
- Airplane
- Serial number
- 28-10908
- Built
- 1967
- Airframe hours
- 4,409.6
- Engine
- Lycoming TIO-540 SER, 310 horsepower, reciprocating
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Personal · Part 91
- Airworthiness certificate
- Standard, Normal
- Last inspection
- Annual · December 1, 2016
- Departed
- WHP · Los Angeles, CA
- Destination
- L35 · Big Bear, CA
- Flight plan
- VFR
- Airport
- L35 · Big Bear City, runway 26, 5,850 × 75 ft, asphalt
- Equipment
- Stall warning system, Satellite tracking device, Handheld GPS
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
- 59
- Injuries
- None
- Certificate
- Private
- Airplane ratings
- Single-engine land
- Instrument ratings
- Airplane
- Medical
- Class 3, With waivers/limitations
- Last flight review
- August 3, 2015
- Seat
- Left
- Flight hours
- 1,047 total · 1,047 in this make and model · 18 in the last 90 days · 5 in the last 30 days · 1 in the last 24 hours
Weather
- Conditions
- Visual (VMC) · Day
- Wind
- 260° at 4 knots
- Visibility
- 10 statute miles
- Temperature
- 81 °F, dew point 30 °F
- Altimeter
- 30.35 inHg
- Observed at
- KL35
Docket · 2
The files NTSB released with the investigation on August 9, 2017, on NTSB’s docket system: statements, records, photos and specialists’ reports. 1.2 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.
Other investigations on N9238W · 1
Matched to the same aircraft by N-number and date.