- Date
- December 4, 1992, 06:25 local (14:25 UTC)
- Place
- Novato, CA
- Injuries
- 2 uninjured
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Phase of flight
- Landing
- Aircraft
- N4338NPiper PA-28
- Weather
- Visual (VMC) · Dawn
- Status
- Completed · report August 30, 1993
- Report
- Approved by Office Director
- FAA report
- 19921204049299A
- Case key
- 27880
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
Failed to maintain directional control and an inadequate visual lookout. Contributing to this accident were the inoperative runway lights.
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 aircraft collided with a visual approach slope indicator (VASI) fixture during the landing roll out. The pilot reported that the runway lights were turned off, but after making a low pass over the runway she was able to discern the airport environment. The pilot landed after completing the low approach over the runway. During the roll out the pilot saw the VASI structure and attempted to steer around it, but the left wing struck the fixture. The airport manager reported that the runway lights were malfunctioning.
Aircraft
- Registration
- N4338N
- Reported as
- Piper PA-28
- Category
- Airplane
- Serial number
- 28-8490049
- Airframe hours
- 3,301
- Engine
- Lycoming O-360-A4M, 180 horsepower, reciprocating
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Personal · Part 91
- Operator
- Marin Air Service
- Registered owner
- Fbn Aircraft Corp.
- Airworthiness certificate
- Standard, Normal; Standard, Utility
- Last inspection
- 100 hour · November 10, 1992 · 44 hours before
- Departed
- CCR · Concord, CA
- Airport
- O56 · Novato, runway 13, 3,300 × 60 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
- 33
- Certificate
- Private
- Airplane ratings
- Single-engine land
- Medical
- Class 1, Valid Medical--w/ waivers/lim
- Seat
- Left
- Flight hours
- 163 total · 4 in this make and model · 110 as pilot in command · 9 in the last 90 days · 6 in the last 30 days · 4 in the last 24 hours
Weather
- Conditions
- Visual (VMC) · Dawn
- Wind
- Calm
- Visibility
- 50 statute miles
- Lowest ceiling
- None
FAA reports on this event · 1
The FAA’s own accident and incident reports, matched to the aircraft by N-number and date.