- Date
- August 12, 2010, 14:10 local (21:10 UTC)
- Place
- Garberville, CA
- Injuries
- 1 uninjured
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Phase of flight
- Landing
- Aircraft
- N9353CPiper PA-28-161
- Defining event
- Landing: Landing area overshoot
- Weather
- Visual (VMC) · Day
- Status
- Completed · report December 20, 2010
- Report
- Approved by Office Director
- NTSB office
- Western Pacific Region
- Parties
- Federal Aviation Administration
- FAA report
- 20100812042449A
- Case key
- 76791
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 airspeed, misjudged approach, and failure to attain the proper touchdown point. Contributing to the accident was the pilot’s lack of familiarity with the airport.
Findings · 5
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 while on the base leg of the traffic pattern his view of the unfamiliar airport, located in a mountain valley, was inhibited due to a hill. As the airport came into view the pilot realized he was too high and he initiated a descent with reduced power and full flaps. The airplane approached the runway with higher than normal airspeed and by the time the airplane touched down; there was not enough runway to stop. The airplane exited the end of the runway and proceeded into a ditch, substantially damaging the firewall. The pilot reported no mechanical failures or malfunctions with the airframe or engine prior to the accident. The pilot further stated the accident could have been prevented by familiarizing himself with the airport.
Factual narrative
The pilot reported that while on the base leg of the traffic pattern his view of the unfamiliar airport, located in a mountain valley, was inhibited due to a hill. As the airport came into view the pilot realized he was too high and he initiated a descent with reduced power and full flaps. The airplane approached the runway with higher than normal airspeed and by the time the airplane touched down; there was not enough runway to stop. The airplane exited the end of the runway and proceeded into a ditch, substantially damaging the firewall. The pilot reported no mechanical failures or malfunctions with the airframe or engine prior to the accident. The pilot further stated the accident could have been prevented by familiarizing himself with the airport.
Aircraft
- Registration
- N9353C
- Reported as
- Piper PA-28-161
- Category
- Airplane
- Serial number
- 28-7816464
- Airframe hours
- 1,995
- Engine
- Lycoming O-320 SERIES, 180 horsepower, reciprocating
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Personal · Part 91
- Operator
- Honeycutt Daniel DBA
- Registered owner
- Honeycutt Daniel DBA
- Airworthiness certificate
- Standard, Normal
- Last inspection
- Annual · November 3, 2009 · 25 hours before
- Departed
- KMYV · Marysville, CA
- Destination
- O16 · Garberville, CA
- Airport
- O16 · Garberville Airport, runway 36, 3,050 × 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
- 38
- Injuries
- None
- Certificate
- Private
- Airplane ratings
- Single-engine land
- Medical
- Class 3, Without waivers/limitations
- Last flight review
- April 8, 2010
- Seat
- Left
- Flight hours
- 200 total · 170 in this make and model · 150 as pilot in command · 38 in the last 90 days · 15 in the last 30 days · 3 in the last 24 hours
Weather
- Conditions
- Visual (VMC) · Day
- Wind
- Variable at 4 knots
- Visibility
- 10 statute miles
- Lowest ceiling
- None
- Temperature
- 55 °F, dew point 52 °F
- Altimeter
- 29.93 inHg
- Observed at
- KACV, 63 nm away
Docket · 1
The files NTSB released with the investigation on September 16, 2010, on NTSB’s docket system: statements, records, photos and specialists’ reports. 625 KB 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.