Placerville Airport
Aircraft Accident/Incident Report

Placerville, California 95667
Thursday, September 28, 1995 14:15 PDT

NTSB Narrative Summary Released at Completion of Accident

THE STUDENT PILOT WAS COMPLETING THE FIRST LEG OF A ROUND ROBIN SOLO CROSS-COUNTRY FLIGHT. WHEN THE AIRPLANE NEARED THE RUNWAY THRESHOLD, THE STUDENT PILOT REDUCED THE POWER TO IDLE AND THE AIRPLANE BEGAN TO SINK RAPIDLY. THE STUDENT APPLIED POWER WHILE SIMULTANEOUSLY RAISING THE NOSE. THE AIRPLANE STALLED, LANDED HARD, AND BOUNCED OFF THE LEFT SIDE OF THE RUNWAY STRIKING A VASI FACILITY.

NTSB Probable Cause Narrative

the student pilot's failure to obtain a proper descent rate and improper remedial by failing to initiate a go-around. The inadvertent stall and the gusty wind conditions were factors in this accident.

Event Information

Type of Event Accident
Event Date 9/28/1995
Event Day of the Week Thursday
Time of Event 1415
Event Time Zone Pacific Daylight Time
Event City PLACERVILLE
Event State CALIFORNIA
Event Country --
Zipcode of the event site 95667
Event Date Year 1995
Event Date Month 9
MidAir Collision Indicator No
On Ground Collision occurred ? No
Event Location Latitude
Event Location Longitude
Event Location Airport PLACERVILLE
Event Location Nearest Airport ID PVF
Indicates whether the acc/inc occurred off or on an airport On Airport
Distance from airport in statute miles --
Degrees magnetic from airport --
Airport Elevation 2503
Weather Briefing Completeness Unknown
Investigator's weather source Pilot
Time of the weather observation 0
Direction of event from weather observation facility (degrees) 0
Weather Observation Facility ID
Elevation of weather observation facility 0
Distance of event from weather observation facility (units?) 0
Time Zone of the weather observation
Lighting Conditions Day
Lowest Ceiling Height 0
Lowest Non-Ceiling Height 0
Sky/Lowest/Cloud Conditions Clear
Sky Condition for Lowest Ceiling None
Visibility Runway Visual Range (Feet) 0
Visibility Runway Visual Value (Statute Miles) 0
Visibility (Statute Miles) 10
Air Temperature at event time (in degrees celsius) --
Dew Point at event time (in degress fahrenheit) --
Wind Direction (degrees magnetic) 0
Variable Wind Indicator Variable
Wind Speed (knots) 0
Wind Velocity Indicator Light and Variable
Wind Gust Indicator Unknown
Wind Gust (knots) 15
Altimeter Setting at event time (in. Hg) --
Density Altitude (feet) --
Intensity of Precipitation Unknown
METAR weather report --
Event Highest Injury None
On Ground, Fatal Injuries 0
On Ground, Minor Injuries 0
On Ground, Serious Injuries 0
Injury Total Fatal --
Injury Total Minor --
Injury Total None 1
Injury Total Serious --
Injury Total All --
Investigating Agency NTSB
NTSB Docket Number (internal use) 1533
NTSB Notification Source --
NTSB Notification Date Oct 6 1995 12:00AM
NTSB Notification Time 911
Fiche Number and/or location -used to find docket information IMAGE
Date of most recent change to record Dec 7 2000 4:36PM
User who most recently changed record dbo
Basic weather conditions Visual Meteorological Cond
FAA District Office --

Aircraft Involved

Aircraft #1

Aircraft Registration Number N2481F
NTSB Number LAX95LA349
Missing Aircraft Indicator N
Federal Aviation Reg. Part Part 91: General Aviation
Type of Flight Plan filed VFR
Flight plan Was Activated? --
Damage Substantial
Aircraft Fire None
Aircraft Explosion None
Aircraft Manufacturer's Full Name PIPER
Aircraft Model PA-38-112
Aircraft Series Identifier PA-38-112
Aircraft Serial Number 38-79A0471
Certified Max Gross Weight 1670
Aircraft Category Airplane
Aircraft Registration Class U.S. Registered/U.S. Soil
Aircraft is a homebuilt? No
Flight Crew Seats --
Cabin Crew Seats --
Passenger Seats --
Total number of seats on the aircraft 2
Number of Engines 1
Fixed gear or retractable gear Fixed
Aircraft, Type of Last Inspection 100 Hour
Date of Last Inspection Sep 7 1995 12:00AM
Airframe hours since last inspection 61
Airframe Hours 9046
ELT Installed Yes
ELT Activated No
ELT Aided Location of Event Site Unknown
ELT Type --
Aircraft Owner Name GEORGE & ANNE BRANNAN
Aircraft Owner Street Address 4689 N. CALLISCH
Aircraft Owner City FRESNO
Aircraft Owner State CA
Aircraft Owner Country
Aircraft Owner Zipcode 93726
Operator is an individual? --
Operator Name MAZZEI FLYING SERVICE
Operator Same as Owner? No
Operator Is Doing Business As --
Operator Address Same as Owner? No
Operator Street Address 4885 E. SHIELDS AVENUE
Operator City FRESNO
Operator State CA
Operator Country
Operator Zip code 93726
Operator Code
Owner has at least one certificate None
Other Operator of large aircraft? No
Certified for Part 133 or 137 Operation Unknown
Operator Certificate Number --
Indicates whether an air carrier operation was scheduled or not --
Indicates Domestic or International Flight --
Operator carrying Pax/Cargo/Mail --
Type of Flying (Per_Bus / Primary) Instructional
Second Pilot on Board No
Departure Point Same as Event No
Departure Airport Code FAT
Departure City FRESNO
Departure State CA
Departure Country
Departure Time 1200
Departure Time Zone PDT
Destination Same as Local Flt crash at destination city
Destination Airport Code PVF
Destination City
Destination State
Destination Country
Specific Phase of Flight Approach
Report sent to ICAO? --
Evacuation occurred --
Date of most recent change to record Jan 2 2001 10:34AM
User who most recently changed record dbo
Since inspection or accident --
Event Location Runway Number and Location 23
Runway Length 4200
Runway Width 75
Sight Seeing flight No
Air Medical Flight No
Medical Flight --