- Date
- December 30, 1991, 20:10 local (Dec 31, 1991, 04:10 UTC)
- Place
- Big Bear City, CA
- Injuries
- 2 minor, 2 uninjured
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Phase of flight
- Takeoff
- Aircraft
- N39459Piper PA32RT-300
- Weather
- Visual (VMC) · Night/dark
- Status
- Completed · report April 23, 1993
- Report
- Approved by Office Director
- FAA report
- 19911231058009A
- Case key
- 27526
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 failure of the pilot to maintain directional control and improper use of the rudder. Contributing to the accident was the improper installation by the company of a hand control mechanism that required the pilot to operate the airplane controls with one hand and restricted visual outlook due to the existing instrument meteorological conditions.
Sequence of events
NTSB’s coding before 2008: each occurrence and phase of flight, and the causes and factors under it. The codes are defined in NTSB’s coding manual.
Analysis
The certificated commercial pilot and three passengers were departing on a night visual flight rules cross country flight in instrument meteorological conditions. The airplane was equipped with a hand control mechanism mounted on the right side of the center control console. This required the pilot to manipulate all of the airplane controls, with the exception of the control column, with the right hand. During the take-off roll, the pilot failed to properly use the rudder control by relaxing right rudder control pressure. The airplane drifted to the left and struck an 8 inch berm of snow located along the side of the runway. The prevailing visibility conditions varied from 3/4 of a mile, down to 50 feet which restricted the pilot's visual acuity. The pilot reported that the runway lights were obscured by snow.
Aircraft
- Registration
- N39459
- Reported as
- Piper PA32RT-300
- Category
- Airplane
- Serial number
- 32R-7885219
- Airframe hours
- 1,179
- Engine
- Lycoming IO-540-K1G50, 300 horsepower, reciprocating
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Personal · Part 91
- Operator
- Aero Haven, Inc.
- Registered owner
- Aero Haven, Inc.
- Airworthiness certificate
- Standard, Normal
- Last inspection
- 100 hour · September 13, 1991 · 92 hours before
- Destination
- LAS · Las Vegas, NV
- Airport
- L35 · Big Bear City, runway 25, 5,850 × 75 ft, asphalt
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
- 42
- Certificates
- Flight instructor, Commercial
- Airplane ratings
- Single-engine land
- Instrument ratings
- Airplane
- Medical
- Class 2, Valid Medical--w/ waivers/lim
- Seat
- Left
- Flight hours
- 807 total · 38 in this make and model · 733 as pilot in command · 108 in the last 90 days · 38 in the last 30 days · 6 in the last 24 hours
Weather
- Conditions
- Visual (VMC) · Night/dark
- Wind
- Calm
- Temperature
- 21 °F, dew point 19 °F
- Altimeter
- 30.00 inHg
- Observed at
- L35, 1 nm away
FAA reports on this event · 1
The FAA’s own accident and incident reports, matched to the aircraft by N-number and date.