- Date
- September 2, 1993, 14:15 local (21:15 UTC)
- Place
- Willows, CA
- Injuries
- 3 uninjured
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Phase of flight
- Takeoff
- Aircraft
- N39527Piper PA-32RT-300T
- Weather
- Visual (VMC) · Day
- Status
- Completed · report September 26, 1994
- Report
- Approved by Office Director
- FAA report
- 19930902002869A
- Case key
- 28464
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 failure to maintain directional control of the aircraft.
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 pilot said that the aircraft was on the takeoff ground roll when he lost directional control and the aircraft began turning to the left. The pilot noted that he applied full right rudder but was unable to regain control. The aircraft veered off the runway, ground looped and sheared off the landing gear.
Factual narrative
On September 2, 1993, at 1415 hours Pacific daylight time, a Piper PA32RT-300T, N39527, veered off the runway on takeoff at the Willows, California, airport. The aircraft ground looped, sheared off the landing gear and damaged a wing. The aircraft was owned and operated by the pilot, and was on a personal cross country flight. Visual meteorological conditions prevailed at the time and no flight plan was filed for the operation. The aircraft incurred substantial damage. The certificated private pilot and his two passengers were not injured. The flight was originating at the time of the mishap as a cross country flight to the Columbia Airport, Sonora, California.
The pilot said that the aircraft was on the takeoff ground roll when he lost directional control and the aircraft began turning to the left. The pilot noted that he applied full right rudder but was unable to regain control.
Aircraft
- Registration
- N39527
- Reported as
- Piper PA-32RT-300T (PA-32RT-30)
- Category
- Airplane
- Serial number
- 32R-7887103
- Airframe hours
- 2,781
- Engine
- Lycoming TIO-540-S1AD, 300 horsepower, reciprocating
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Personal · Part 91
- Registered owner
- David F. Hardy
- Airworthiness certificate
- Standard, Normal
- Last inspection
- Annual · August 1, 1993 · 11 hours before
- Departed
- WLW
- Destination
- 022 · Sonora, CA
- Airport
- WLW · Willows Glenn Co., runway 16, 4,506 × 100 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
- 46
- Certificate
- Private
- Airplane ratings
- Single-engine land
- Instrument ratings
- Airplane
- Medical
- Class 3, Valid Medical--no waivers/lim.
- Seat
- Left
- Flight hours
- 1,253 total · 334 in this make and model · 1,056 as pilot in command · 46 in the last 90 days · 9 in the last 30 days · 1 in the last 24 hours
Weather
- Conditions
- Visual (VMC) · Day
- Wind
- 120° at 5 knots
- Visibility
- 20 statute miles
- Lowest ceiling
- None
- Temperature
- 109 °F
FAA reports on this event · 1
The FAA’s own accident and incident reports, matched to the aircraft by N-number and date.