Piper PA-31-350 N27996
29 September 2008 · Fresno, California, United States · No injuries
Summary
On 29 September 2008 at about 15:53 local time, a Piper PA-31-350 registered N27996, operated by Ameriflight, Inc., was involved in an accident near Fresno, California, United States. One person was on board and nobody was injured. The aircraft was substantially damaged. The NTSB has published a probable cause for this accident; it is quoted in full below.
The record
- Date
- at 15:53
- Classification
- Accident
- Location
- Fresno, California, United States
- Nearest airport
- Fresno (FAT)
- Coordinates
- 36.7761, -119.7181
- Aircraft
- Piper PA-31-350
- Registration
- N27996
- Category
- Airplane
- Engines
- 2
- Operator
- Ameriflight, Inc.
- Operating rule
- Part 135: Air Taxi & Commuter
- Phase of flight
- Not recorded
- Route
- Oakland → Fresno
- Aircraft damage
- Substantial
- Weather
- VMC
- Light
- Day
- NTSB number
- WPR09LA014
People
Nobody was injured.
| On board | Died | Serious | Minor | Uninjured |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 1 |
Probable cause
The pilot misjudged the flare resulting in a hard landing.
Quoted verbatim from the NTSB record. This site does not paraphrase or interpret it.
Read the full NTSB narrative
The pilot reported that he made a firm landing and had a blown right main tire, but indicated no other problems. After replacement of both tires, the airplane continued in service for two flight sequences, flown by other pilots. Inspection by maintenance personnel revealed a line of popped rivet heads on the upper surface of the left wing above the rear spar between the nacelle and the wing fillet fairing. A close inspection discovered popped rivet heads on the left side of the fuselage below the cabin window with a gap visible in the skin lap. Inspection of both main gear wheels and tires revealed cuts and impressions in the tire sidewalls indicative of a very hard landing. Further inspection discovered buckling of both main spar webs between the fuselage and nacelles.
Quoted verbatim from the NTSB record.
Other Piper PA-31 accidents
| Date | Aircraft | Location | Operator | Outcome | Died |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 5 Jan 2008 | Piper PA-31-350 | Kodiak, Alaska, United States | Servant Air, Inc. | Fatal | 6 |
| 20 Mar 2008 | Piper PA-31-350 | Portland, Oregon, United States | Ameriflight LLC | No injuries | - |
| 14 Oct 2008 | Piper PA-31-350 | Portland, Oregon, United States | Ameriflight, Inc. | No injuries | - |
| 4 Aug 2008 | Piper PA-31-350 | Aniak, Alaska, United States | Frontier Flying Service Inc. | Serious injuries | - |
| 28 Apr 2008 | Piper PA-31-310 | Maiquetia, Venezuela | Aircraft Guaranty Holdings & Trust LLC Trustee | Fatal | 3 |
| 28 Aug 2008 | Piper PA-31-350 | Las Vegas, Nevada, United States | Aeronet Supply | Fatal | 1 |
Other accidents in this area
| Date | Aircraft | Location | Operator | Outcome | Died |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 7 Apr 2008 | Cessna 172S | San Luis Obispo, California, United States | Pacific Aerocademy | No injuries | - |
| 20 Aug 2008 | Cessna TU206G | Groveland, California, United States | Charles D Hartwell | Minor injuries | - |
| 1 Jan 2008 | Piper PA 28-180 | Sonoma, California, United States | Timothy Bennett | No injuries | - |
| 6 May 2008 | Cessna 152 | Redding, California, United States | Kenneth A Tyler | No injuries | - |
| 17 Dec 2008 | Kaman K-1200 | Santa Clarita, California, United States | Superior Leasing LLC | Fatal | - |
| 26 Jul 2008 | Ercoupe 415-C | Corona, California, United States | Herbert Guiness | No injuries | - |