Paso Robles Muni Airport
Aircraft Accident/Incident Report

Paso Robles, California 93446
Tuesady, April 17, 1990 11:45 PDT

NTSB Narrative Summary Released at Completion of Accident

ACCORDING TO STATEMENTS FROM ALL THREE INDIVIDUALS ON BOARD, UPON ARRIVING IN THE VICINITY OF PASO ROBLES AIRPORT AT ABOUT 5,800 FEET ABOVE THE AIRPORT, THE INSTRUCTOR SHUT DOWN THE ENGINE TO SIMULATE AN ENGINE FAILURE. THE PILOT BEING TRAINED WAS INSTRUCTED TO GLIDE THE AIRCRAFT TO A SAFE LANDING AT THE AIRPORT. DURING THE SIMULATED EMERGENCY DESCENT, THE PILOT BEING TRAINED ASKED SEVERAL TIMES IF THE GEAR SHOULD NOT BE EXTENDED UNTIL THE TURN FROM BASE TO FINAL WAS BEING MADE. THE WITNESSES ABOARD THE AIRCRAFT FURTHER STATED THAT ON SHORT FINAL, AT A VERY LOW ALTITUDE, THE GEAR WAS LOWERED USING THE EMERGENCY GEAR EXTENSION PROCEDURE. THE LEFT MAIN GEAR DID NOT FULLY EXTEND AND LOCK INTO POSITION PRIOR TO THE AIRCRAFT TOUCHING DOWN ON THE RUNWAY. ON TOUCHDOWN, THE LEFT MAIN GEAR COLLAPSED, CAUSING THE LEFT WING TO COLLIDE WITH THE RUNWAY.

NTSB Probable Cause Narrative

INADEQUATE ALTITUDE FOR PROPER LANDING GEAR EXTENSION; NOT ENSURING THE LANDING GEAR WAS DOWN AND LOCKED; COMPLACENCY OF THE CERTIFIED FLIGHT INSTRUCTOR.

Event Information

Type of Event Accident
Event Date 4/17/1990
Event Day of the Week Tuesday
Time of Event 1145
Event Time Zone Pacific Daylight Time
Event City PASO ROBLES
Event State CALIFORNIA
Event Country --
Zipcode of the event site 93446
Event Date Year 1990
Event Date Month 4
MidAir Collision Indicator No
On Ground Collision occurred ? No
Event Location Latitude
Event Location Longitude
Event Location Airport PASO ROBLES MUNI
Event Location Nearest Airport ID PRB
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 836
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) -18
Dew Point at event time (in degress fahrenheit) -18
Wind Direction (degrees magnetic) 0
Variable Wind Indicator Unknown
Wind Speed (knots) 0
Wind Velocity Indicator Unknown
Wind Gust Indicator Unknown
Wind Gust (knots) 0
Altimeter Setting at event time (in. Hg) --
Density Altitude (feet) 0
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 3
Injury Total Serious --
Injury Total All --
Investigating Agency NTSB
NTSB Docket Number (internal use) 1891
NTSB Notification Source --
NTSB Notification Date Apr 19 1990 12:00AM
NTSB Notification Time 1530
Fiche Number and/or location -used to find docket information 43788
Date of most recent change to record Dec 18 2002 11:28AM
User who most recently changed record NTSB\GIUV
Basic weather conditions Visual Meteorological Cond
FAA District Office --

Aircraft Involved

Aircraft #1

Aircraft Registration Number N4387S
NTSB Number LAX90LA150
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
Aircraft Series Identifier PA46
Aircraft Serial Number 46-8508042
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 Unknown
Date of Last Inspection --
Airframe hours since last inspection 0
Airframe Hours --
ELT Installed Yes
ELT Activated No
ELT Aided Location of Event Site Unknown
ELT Type --
Aircraft Owner Name UNKNOWN
Aircraft Owner Street Address
Aircraft Owner City
Aircraft Owner State
Aircraft Owner Country
Aircraft Owner Zipcode
Operator is an individual? --
Operator Name PIPER AIRCRAFT CORP.
Operator Same as Owner? No
Operator Is Doing Business As --
Operator Address Same as Owner? No
Operator Street Address 2926 PIPER DRIVE
Operator City VERO BEACH
Operator State FL
Operator Country
Operator Zip code 32960
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 Yes
Departure Point Same as Event No
Departure Airport Code SMX
Departure City SANTA MARIA
Departure State CA
Departure Country
Departure Time 930
Departure Time Zone PDT
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 10:30AM
User who most recently changed record dbo
Since inspection or accident --
Event Location Runway Number and Location 31
Runway Length 4700
Runway Width 100
Sight Seeing flight No
Air Medical Flight No
Medical Flight --