- Date
- August 13, 2023, 15:00 local (22:00 UTC)
- Place
- Needles, CA
- Injuries
- 4 uninjured
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Phase of flight
- Takeoff
- Aircraft
- N2957NPiper PA-32-300
- Defining event
- Takeoff: Runway excursion
- Weather
- Visual (VMC) · Day
- Status
- Completed
- Report
- Approved by Office Director
- Investigation class
- Class 4 - Basic report with no Prelim publish
- NTSB office
- Western Pacific Region
- Parties
- Federal Aviation Administration
- Case key
- 193497
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
An encounter with windshear during the initial climb after takeoff, resulting in a loss of control and a subsequent hard landing.
Findings · 2
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 stated that during initial takeoff climb, the airplane encountered windshear. He was unable to regain control and the airplane touched down hard on the paved runway. The airplane then veered off to the left of the runway and came to rest with the right main and nose landing gear separated from the fuselage. As a result of the impact, the spar sustained substantial damage. The pilot reported no pre impact mechanical malfunctions or failures that would have precluded normal operation. The pilot did not submit the National Transportation Safety Board Pilot/Operator Aircraft Accident/Incident Report Form 6120.1.
Aircraft
- Registration
- N2957N
- Reported as
- Piper PA-32-300
- Category
- Airplane
- Serial number
- 32-7940228
- Built
- 1979
- Engine
- Lycoming IO-540-K1A5, 300 hp, reciprocating
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Personal · Part 91
- Airworthiness certificate
- Standard, Normal
- Airport
- 49X · Chemehuevi Valley, runway 16/34, 5,000 × 75 ft, asphalt
- Equipment
- ADS-B
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
- 73
- Injuries
- None
- Certificate
- Private
- Airplane ratings
- Single-engine land
- Medical
- Class 3, With waivers/limitations
- Seat
- Left
Weather
- Conditions
- Visual (VMC) · Day
- Wind
- 140° at 8 knots
- Lowest ceiling
- None
- Temperature
- 108 °F, dew point 45 °F
- Altimeter
- 29.81 inHg
- Observed at
- KHII, 5 nm away
- METAR
- METAR KHII 132155Z AUTO 14008KT 100V160 10SM 42/07 A2981 RMK AO2=
Docket · 2
The files NTSB released with the investigation on April 4, 2024, on NTSB’s docket system: statements, records, photos and specialists’ reports. 434 KB in all.