- Date
- January 31, 1989, 21:59 local (Feb 1, 1989, 05:59 UTC)
- Place
- Sparks, NV
- Injuries
- 2 serious
- Damage
- Destroyed
- Phase of flight
- Enroute
- Aircraft
- N88RGPiper PA-31
- Weather
- Visual (VMC) · Night/dark
- Status
- Completed · report March 12, 1990
- Report
- Approved by Office Director
- FAA report
- 19890131001619A
- Case key
- 40977
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 NTSB’s determination of the probable cause, and any contributing factors.
The pilot's misjudgement of the forced landing profile. Contributing to the accident was the failure of the right turbocharger and the pilot's improper handling of the landing gear system.
Analysis
During the climbout, in night visual meteorological conditions, the aircraft lost right engine power. The pilot was initially cleared for one runway, but was unable to get a safe gear indication. The pilot made a 180 degree turn to land on the opposite runway while attempting to get a safe gear indication. On turn from base to final, with the gear down and locked, the pilot overshot final approach. The pilot then chose an unlit parking lot to make an off-airport landing. The aircraft struck a tree and a power line. The aircraft struck several parked unoccupied vehicles during the landing. The FAA reported that an on-site inspection revealed a failed right turbocharger.
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.
Aircraft
- Registration
- N88RG
- Reported as
- Piper PA-31
- Category
- Airplane
- Serial number
- 31-667
- Engine
- Lycoming TIO-540-A2C, 310 horsepower, reciprocating
- Damage
- Destroyed
- Fire
- On-Ground
- Flight
- Personal · Part 91
- Registered owner
- Ricardt Investment, Inc.
- Airworthiness certificate
- Standard, Normal
- Departed
- RNO · Reno, NV
- Destination
- LGB · Long Beach, CA
Flight crew
As NTSB recorded them. NTSB leaves out names.
- Role
- Pilot
- Age
- 39
- Certificate
- Commercial
- Airplane ratings
- Multi-engine land, Single-engine land
- Instrument ratings
- Airplane
- Medical
- Class 2, Valid Medical--no waivers/lim.
- Seat
- Left
- Flight hours
- 2,200 total · 200 in this make and model · 30 in the last 90 days
Weather
- Conditions
- Visual (VMC) · Night/dark
- Wind
- 240° at 4 knots
- Visibility
- 12 statute miles
- Lowest ceiling
- 14,000 ft broken
- Temperature
- 46 °F
- Altimeter
- 29.00 inHg
- Observed at
- RNO, 2 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.