Carson City Airport
Aircraft Accident/Incident Report

Carson City, Nevada 89701
Friday, December 27, 1991 13:50 PST

NTSB Narrative Summary Released at Completion of Accident

THE CERTIFICATED PRIVATE PILOT, THE SOLE OCCUPANT, WAS LANDING AFTER CONDUCTING TOUCH AND GO TAKEOFFS AND LANDINGS. DURING THE FINAL LANDING APPROACH, THE PILOT FAILED TO ARREST THE EXCESSIVE SINK AND THE AIRPLANE TOUCHED DOWN ABOUT 12 INCHES SHORT OF THE PAVED END OF THE RUNWAY. THE PAVED RUNWAY WAS ABOUT 6 INCHES ABOVE THE SURROUNDING UNPAVED AREA. WHEN THE RIGHT LANDING GEAR STRUCK THE LIP OF THE RUNWAY, THE STRUT WAS BENT AFT ABOUT 20 DEGREES AND THE RIGHT WING RECEIVED STRUCTURAL DAMAGE. THE FAA ADVISORY CIRCULAR RECOMMENDS THAT THE RUNWAY LIP DISTANCE TO THE SURROUNDING RUNWAY SAFETY AREA IS 1 AND 1/2 INCHES FOR DRAINAGE, WITH A MAXIMUM RECOMMENDED DISTANCE OF 3 INCHES. THE AIRPORT PERSONNEL FAILED TO MAINTAIN THESE RECOMMENDED DISTANCES.

NTSB Probable Cause Narrative

THE FAILURE OF THE PILOT TO ARREST AN EXCESSIVE SINK RATE RESULTING IN NOT ATTAINING THE PROPER TOUCH DOWN POINT AND LANDING SHORT OF THE RUNWAY THRESHOLD. CONTRIBUTING TO THE ACCIDENT WAS AN EXCESSIVE RUNWAY END LIP DUE TO INADEQUATE RUNWAY END MAINTENANCE.

Event Information

Type of Event Accident
Event Date 12/27/1991
Event Day of the Week Friday
Time of Event 1350
Event Time Zone Pacific Standard Time
Event City CARSON CITY
Event State NEVADA
Event Country --
Zipcode of the event site 89701
Event Date Year 1991
Event Date Month 12
MidAir Collision Indicator No
On Ground Collision occurred ? No
Event Location Latitude
Event Location Longitude
Event Location Airport CARSON CITY
Event Location Nearest Airport ID O04
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 4697
Weather Briefing Completeness Unknown
Investigator's weather source Weather Observation Facility
Time of the weather observation 1350 Pacific Standard Time
Direction of event from weather observation facility (degrees) 340
Weather Observation Facility ID RNO
Elevation of weather observation facility 4845
Distance of event from weather observation facility (units?) 19
Time Zone of the weather observation PST
Lighting Conditions Day
Lowest Ceiling Height 25000
Lowest Non-Ceiling Height 14000
Sky/Lowest/Cloud Conditions Scattered
Sky Condition for Lowest Ceiling Broken
Visibility Runway Visual Range (Feet) 0
Visibility Runway Visual Value (Statute Miles) 0
Visibility (Statute Miles) 30
Air Temperature at event time (in degrees celsius) 9
Dew Point at event time (in degress fahrenheit) 6
Wind Direction (degrees magnetic) 210
Variable Wind Indicator Unknown
Wind Speed (knots) 5
Wind Velocity Indicator Unknown
Wind Gust Indicator Unknown
Wind Gust (knots) 0
Altimeter Setting at event time (in. Hg) 29
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) 2028
NTSB Notification Source --
NTSB Notification Date --
NTSB Notification Time 0
Fiche Number and/or location -used to find docket information 46276
Date of most recent change to record Dec 12 2000 10:54AM
User who most recently changed record dbo
Basic weather conditions Visual Meteorological Cond
FAA District Office --

Aircraft Involved

Aircraft #1

Aircraft Registration Number N9GF
NTSB Number LAX92LA077
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 PA46-310P
Aircraft Series Identifier PA46-310P
Aircraft Serial Number 4608127
Certified Max Gross Weight 4100
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 Retractable
Aircraft, Type of Last Inspection Annual
Date of Last Inspection Dec 13 1991 12:00AM
Airframe hours since last inspection 4
Airframe Hours 462
ELT Installed Yes
ELT Activated No
ELT Aided Location of Event Site Unknown
ELT Type --
Aircraft Owner Name MEASUREMENT & CONTROL TECH
Aircraft Owner Street Address P.O. BOX 3527
Aircraft Owner City STATELINE
Aircraft Owner State NV
Aircraft Owner Country
Aircraft Owner Zipcode 89449
Operator is an individual? --
Operator Name FERDON, ARNOLD G.
Operator Same as Owner? No
Operator Is Doing Business As --
Operator Address Same as Owner? No
Operator Street Address P.O. BOX 3527
Operator City STATELINE
Operator State NV
Operator Country
Operator Zip code 3527
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 No
Departure Airport Code NV11
Departure City DAYTON
Departure State NV
Departure Country
Departure Time 1335
Departure Time Zone PST
Destination Same as Local Flt crash at destination city
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 27
Runway Length 5900
Runway Width 75
Sight Seeing flight No
Air Medical Flight No
Medical Flight --