Petaluma Airport
Aircraft Accident/Incident Report

Petaluma, California 94952
Saturday, February 21, 1987 12:30 PST

NTSB Narrative Summary Released at Completion of Accident

AT THE END OF A PLEASURE CROSS-COUNTRY FLT, THE PLT REPORTED HE WAS DOWNWIND TO RWY 29 AND NOTED THE WIND WAS LIGHT FROM 110 DEGS. ON FINAL APCH THE PLT WAS FOLLOWING ANOTHER ACFT AND NOTED THAT THE ACFT HAD A SLIGHT CRAB TO THE RIGHT. THE PLT OBSERVED THAT THE WIND DIRECTION HAD CHANGED TO A RIGHT CROSS-WIND. WHEN THE ACFT TOUCHED-DOWN THE PLT STATED THAT A STRONG GUST OF WIND FROM THE RIGHT PUSHED THE ACFT OFF THE RWY AND COLLIDED WITH THE TERRAIN. WIND CONDITIONS ON THE ARPT AT THE TIME OF THE ACCIDENT WERE REPORTED AS WIND FROM 320 DEGS AT 15 KTS, GUSTING TO 25 KTS.

NTSB Probable Cause Narrative

Not Yet Reported

Event Information

Type of Event Accident
Event Date 2/21/1987
Event Day of the Week Saturday
Time of Event 1230
Event Time Zone Pacific Standard Time
Event City PETALUMA
Event State CALIFORNIA
Event Country --
Zipcode of the event site 94952
Event Date Year 1987
Event Date Month 2
MidAir Collision Indicator No
On Ground Collision occurred ? No
Event Location Latitude
Event Location Longitude
Event Location Airport PETALUMA
Event Location Nearest Airport ID 069
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 79
Weather Briefing Completeness Partial - limited by briefer
Investigator's weather source Weather Observation Facility
Time of the weather observation 1130 Pacific Standard Time
Direction of event from weather observation facility (degrees) 306
Weather Observation Facility ID STS
Elevation of weather observation facility 125
Distance of event from weather observation facility (units?) 20
Time Zone of the weather observation PST
Lighting Conditions Day
Lowest Ceiling Height 3000
Lowest Non-Ceiling Height 0
Sky/Lowest/Cloud Conditions Clear
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) 11
Dew Point at event time (in degress fahrenheit) --
Wind Direction (degrees magnetic) 320
Variable Wind Indicator Unknown
Wind Speed (knots) 15
Wind Velocity Indicator Unknown
Wind Gust Indicator Unknown
Wind Gust (knots) 25
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 4
Injury Total Serious --
Injury Total All --
Investigating Agency NTSB
NTSB Docket Number (internal use) 52
NTSB Notification Source --
NTSB Notification Date Feb 23 1987 12:00AM
NTSB Notification Time 1600
Fiche Number and/or location -used to find docket information 32490
Date of most recent change to record Dec 13 2000 1:45PM
User who most recently changed record dbo
Basic weather conditions Visual Meteorological Cond
FAA District Office --

Aircraft Involved

Aircraft #1

Aircraft Registration Number N56887
NTSB Number LAX87LA124
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-28-140
Aircraft Series Identifier PA-28-140
Aircraft Serial Number 7425059
Certified Max Gross Weight 2150
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 4
Number of Engines 1
Fixed gear or retractable gear Fixed
Aircraft, Type of Last Inspection Annual
Date of Last Inspection Feb 11 1986 12:00AM
Airframe hours since last inspection 78
Airframe Hours 3856
ELT Installed Yes
ELT Activated No
ELT Aided Location of Event Site No
ELT Type --
Aircraft Owner Name DONALD E. HUNSICKER
Aircraft Owner Street Address 300 EUCALYPTUS
Aircraft Owner City PETALUMA
Aircraft Owner State CA
Aircraft Owner Country
Aircraft Owner Zipcode 94952
Operator is an individual? --
Operator Name
Operator Same as Owner? Yes
Operator Is Doing Business As --
Operator Address Same as Owner? Yes
Operator Street Address
Operator City
Operator State
Operator Country
Operator Zip code
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 STS
Departure City SONOMA
Departure State CA
Departure Country
Departure Time 1215
Departure Time Zone PST
Destination Same as Local Flt --
Destination Airport Code 069
Destination City PETALUMA
Destination State CA
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 29
Runway Length 3600
Runway Width 75
Sight Seeing flight No
Air Medical Flight No
Medical Flight --