Piper PA 28-180 N9069J

Summary

On 28 June 2015 at about 18:45 local time, a Piper PA 28-180 registered N9069J, operated by RMG Partners Corp, was involved in an accident near Novato, California, United States. 4 people were on board and 2 had minor injuries. The aircraft was substantially damaged. The NTSB has published a probable cause for this accident; it is quoted in full below.

Date

28 June 2015 at 18:45

Classification

Accident

Location

Novato, California, United States

Nearest airport

Novato (DVO)

Coordinates

38.1436, -122.5561

Aircraft

Piper PA 28-180

Registration

N9069J

Category

Airplane

Year built

1966

Engines

1

Operator

RMG Partners Corp

Operating rule

Part 91: General Aviation

Purpose of flight

Personal

Phase of flight

Not recorded

Route

Reno → Novato

Aircraft damage

Substantial

Weather

VMC

Light

Day

NTSB number

GAA15CA149

2 people had minor injuries.

The pilot's improper pitch control which resulted in a bounced landing, runway excursion, and collision with terrain.

Quoted verbatim from the NTSB record. This site does not paraphrase or interpret it.

Read the full NTSB narrative

The pilot reported that during the landing the airplane bounced several times while attempting to compensate for a right quartering crosswind. The pilot stated that he believed the landing gear had failed as a result of the hard landing and, "intentionally guided the plane off the runway into the grass, in fear of an explosion." As a result of the runway excursion, the airplane impacted a ditch and sustained substantial damage as the left wing separated from the fuselage.   The pilot reported that there were no mechanical malfunctions or failures with the airplane prior to or during flight that would have precluded normal operation.

Quoted verbatim from the NTSB record.