Auburn Airport
Aircraft Accident/Incident Report

Auburn, California 95603
Saturday, December 5, 1992 12:30 PST

NTSB Narrative Summary Released at Completion of Accident

WHILE LANDING IN A RIGHT CROSSWIND THE PLANE TOUCHED DOWN FIRST ON THE RIGHT MAIN GEAR AND THEN THE LEFT MAIN GEAR. AS THE PILOT LOWERED THE NOSE GEAR THE AIRPLANE VEERED TO THE LEFT AND EXITED THE RUNWAY. THE AIRPLANE CROSSED A DITCH AND CAME TO REST ABOUT 75 FEET LEFT OF CENTERLINE. THE PILOT RECENTLY PURCHASED THE AIRPLANE AND HAD ACCUMULATED A TOTAL OF 5.2 FLIGHT HOURS IN THE SAME MAKE AND MODEL ALL WITHIN THE PREVIOUS 30 DAYS. THE PILOT INDICATED THAT THERE WERE NO MECHANICAL FAILURES OR MALFUNCTIONS. THE DITCH WAS LOCATED IN THE RUNWAY SAFETY AREA. THE RUNWAY SAFETY AREA IS 300 FEET WIDE CENTERED ON THE RUNWAY AND IS SUPPOSED TO ACCOMMODATE THE OCCASIONAL PASSAGE OF AN AIRPLANE WITHOUT CAUSING SUBSTANTIAL DAMAGE.

NTSB Probable Cause Narrative

FAILURE OF THE PILOT TO MAINTAIN DIRECTION CONTROL DURING THE LANDING TOUCHDOWN. CONTRIBUTING TO THE ACCIDENT INADEQUATE MAINTENANCE OF THE RUNWAY SAFETY AREA BY AIRPORT PERSONNEL.

Event Information

Type of Event Accident
Event Date 12/5/1992
Event Day of the Week Saturday
Time of Event 1230
Event Time Zone Pacific Standard Time
Event City AUBURN
Event State CALIFORNIA
Event Country --
Zipcode of the event site 95603
Event Date Year 1992
Event Date Month 12
MidAir Collision Indicator No
On Ground Collision occurred ? No
Event Location Latitude
Event Location Longitude
Event Location Airport AUBURN
Event Location Nearest Airport ID AUN
Indicates whether the acc/inc occurred off or on an airport On Airport
Distance from airport in statute miles 0
Degrees magnetic from airport 0
Airport Elevation 1520
Weather Briefing Completeness Unknown
Investigator's weather source Weather Observation Facility
Time of the weather observation 1155 Pacific Standard Time
Direction of event from weather observation facility (degrees) 185
Weather Observation Facility ID MHR
Elevation of weather observation facility 96
Distance of event from weather observation facility (units?) 30
Time Zone of the weather observation PST
Lighting Conditions Day
Lowest Ceiling Height 0
Lowest Non-Ceiling Height 22000
Sky/Lowest/Cloud Conditions Scattered
Sky Condition for Lowest Ceiling None
Visibility Runway Visual Range (Feet) 0
Visibility Runway Visual Value (Statute Miles) 0
Visibility (Statute Miles) 7
Air Temperature at event time (in degrees celsius) 12
Dew Point at event time (in degress fahrenheit) 5
Wind Direction (degrees magnetic) 190
Variable Wind Indicator Unknown
Wind Speed (knots) 6
Wind Velocity Indicator Unknown
Wind Gust Indicator Unknown
Wind Gust (knots) 0
Altimeter Setting at event time (in. Hg) 30
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 4
Injury Total Serious --
Injury Total All --
Investigating Agency NTSB
NTSB Docket Number (internal use) 2983
NTSB Notification Source --
NTSB Notification Date Dec 7 1992 12:00AM
NTSB Notification Time 1700
Fiche Number and/or location -used to find docket information 47829
Date of most recent change to record Dec 11 2000 3:30PM
User who most recently changed record dbo
Basic weather conditions Visual Meteorological Cond
FAA District Office --

Aircraft Involved

Aircraft #1

Aircraft Registration Number N8339X
NTSB Number LAX93LA064
Missing Aircraft Indicator N
Federal Aviation Reg. Part Part 91: General Aviation
Type of Flight Plan filed None
Flight plan Was Activated? --
Damage Substantial
Aircraft Fire None
Aircraft Explosion None
Aircraft Manufacturer's Full Name PIPER
Aircraft Model PA-32-301T
Aircraft Series Identifier PA-32-301T
Aircraft Serial Number 32 8124012
Certified Max Gross Weight 3600
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 6
Number of Engines 1
Fixed gear or retractable gear Fixed
Aircraft, Type of Last Inspection Annual
Date of Last Inspection Aug 18 1992 12:00AM
Airframe hours since last inspection 20
Airframe Hours 1047
ELT Installed Yes
ELT Activated No
ELT Aided Location of Event Site No
ELT Type --
Aircraft Owner Name BARBER, DAVID D.
Aircraft Owner Street Address 1430 KENTUCKY GREENSWAY
Aircraft Owner City NEWCASTLE
Aircraft Owner State CA
Aircraft Owner Country
Aircraft Owner Zipcode 95658
Operator is an individual? --
Operator Name BARBER, DAVID D.
Operator Same as Owner? Yes
Operator Is Doing Business As --
Operator Address Same as Owner? Yes
Operator Street Address 1430 KENTUCKY GREENSWAY
Operator City NEWCASTLE
Operator State CA
Operator Country
Operator Zip code 95658
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) Personal
Second Pilot on Board No
Departure Point Same as Event Yes
Departure Airport Code
Departure City
Departure State
Departure Country
Departure Time 1130
Departure Time Zone PST
Destination Same as Local Flt dest & departure same, accident can occur anywhere
Destination Airport Code
Destination City
Destination State
Destination Country
Specific Phase of Flight Landing
Report sent to ICAO? --
Evacuation occurred --
Date of most recent change to record Jan 2 2001 10:35AM
User who most recently changed record dbo
Since inspection or accident --
Event Location Runway Number and Location 7
Runway Length 3100
Runway Width 60
Sight Seeing flight No
Air Medical Flight No
Medical Flight --