Gualala Airport
Aircraft Accident/Incident Report

Gualala, California 95445
Friday, January 27, 1989 10:00 PST

NTSB Narrative Summary Released at Completion of Accident

DURING A LANDING, THE AIRCRAFT COLLIDED WITH TERRAIN SHORT OF THE RUNWAY. IT THEN BOUNCED ONTO THE RUNWAY, WENT OFF THE LEFT SIDE & CAME TO REST IN THE DIRT. THE ACFT WAS DAMAGED DURING THE OCCURRENCE, BUT NO PREIMPACT PART FAILURE OR MALFUNCTION WAS FOUND.

NTSB Probable Cause Narrative

PILOT MISJUDGED THE ALTITUDE AND DISTANCE TO THE RUNWAY AND SUBSEQUENTLY DID NOT ATTAIN THE PROPER TOUCHDOWN POINT.

Event Information

Type of Event Accident
Event Date 1/27/1989
Event Day of the Week Friday
Time of Event 1000
Event Time Zone Pacific Standard Time
Event City GUALALA
Event State CALIFORNIA
Event Country --
Zipcode of the event site 95445
Event Date Year 1989
Event Date Month 1
MidAir Collision Indicator No
On Ground Collision occurred ? No
Event Location Latitude
Event Location Longitude
Event Location Airport GUALALA
Event Location Nearest Airport ID Q69
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 940
Weather Briefing Completeness Unknown
Investigator's weather source Weather Observation Facility
Time of the weather observation 940 Pacific Standard Time
Direction of event from weather observation facility (degrees) 0
Weather Observation Facility ID UKI
Elevation of weather observation facility 0
Distance of event from weather observation facility (units?) 0
Time Zone of the weather observation PST
Lighting Conditions Day
Lowest Ceiling Height 15000
Lowest Non-Ceiling Height 5000
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) 0
Air Temperature at event time (in degrees celsius) --
Dew Point at event time (in degress fahrenheit) --
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) --
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) 428
NTSB Notification Source --
NTSB Notification Date Jan 30 1989 12:00AM
NTSB Notification Time 1345
Fiche Number and/or location -used to find docket information 38929
Date of most recent change to record Dec 13 2000 12:25PM
User who most recently changed record dbo
Basic weather conditions Visual Meteorological Cond
FAA District Office --

Aircraft Involved

Aircraft #1

Aircraft Registration Number N4235R
NTSB Number LAX89LA100
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-32-300
Aircraft Series Identifier PA-32-300
Aircraft Serial Number 32-40600
Certified Max Gross Weight 3400
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 100 Hour
Date of Last Inspection Nov 19 1988 12:00AM
Airframe hours since last inspection 20
Airframe Hours 4500
ELT Installed Yes
ELT Activated Yes
ELT Aided Location of Event Site No
ELT Type --
Aircraft Owner Name LARRY L RUSSELL
Aircraft Owner Street Address 706 WESTERN DR.
Aircraft Owner City POINT RICHMOND
Aircraft Owner State CA
Aircraft Owner Country
Aircraft Owner Zipcode 94801
Operator is an individual? --
Operator Name RUSSELL, LARRY
Operator Same as Owner? No
Operator Is Doing Business As --
Operator Address Same as Owner? No
Operator Street Address 706 WESTERN DR.
Operator City POINT RICHMOND
Operator State CA
Operator Country
Operator Zip code 94801
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 UKI
Departure City UKIAH
Departure State CA
Departure Country
Departure Time 940
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 31
Runway Length 2500
Runway Width 100
Sight Seeing flight No
Air Medical Flight No
Medical Flight --