Porterville Airport
Aircraft Accident/Incident Report

Porterville, California 93257
Sunday, March 31, 1985 12:55 PST

NTSB Narrative Summary Released at Completion of Accident

WHILE ON FINAL APCH TO RWY 30 AT PORTERVILLE ARPT, AND AS THE ACFT FLARED FOR LANDING, THE LEFT WHEEL AND LEFT WING TOUCHED THE RWY, AND THE ACFT BOUNCED INTO THE AIR, STALLED, AND CRASHED JUST LEFT OF THE RWY. THE PLT STATED, 'A GUST OF WIND PITCHED THE NOSE UP, I APPLIED FULL POWER BUT THE AIRCRAFT WOULD NOT ACCELERATE. THE NOSE STAYED HIGH AND THE AIRCRAFT STARTED A LEFT WING LOW ROLL. THE AIRCRAFT BOUNCED OFF THE RUNWAY INTO THE AIR, THEN SETTLED BACK TO THE GROUND, COMING TO REST IN THE GRASS OFF THE RUNWAY.'

NTSB Probable Cause Narrative

Not Yet Reported

Event Information

Type of Event Accident
Event Date 3/31/1985
Event Day of the Week Sunday
Time of Event 1255
Event Time Zone Pacific Standard Time
Event City PORTERVILLE
Event State CALIFORNIA
Event Country --
Zipcode of the event site 93257
Event Date Year 1985
Event Date Month 3
MidAir Collision Indicator No
On Ground Collision occurred ? No
Event Location Latitude
Event Location Longitude
Event Location Airport PORTERVILLE
Event Location Nearest Airport ID PTV
Indicates whether the acc/inc occurred off or on an airport Off Airport/Airstrip
Distance from airport in statute miles 0
Degrees magnetic from airport 0
Airport Elevation 444
Weather Briefing Completeness Not pertinent
Investigator's weather source Weather Observation Facility
Time of the weather observation 1200 Pacific Standard Time
Direction of event from weather observation facility (degrees) 116
Weather Observation Facility ID VIS
Elevation of weather observation facility 300
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 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) 70
Air Temperature at event time (in degrees celsius) 24
Dew Point at event time (in degress fahrenheit) --
Wind Direction (degrees magnetic) 0
Variable Wind Indicator Unknown
Wind Speed (knots) 0
Wind Velocity Indicator Calm
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 1
Injury Total Serious --
Injury Total All --
Investigating Agency FAA
NTSB Docket Number (internal use) 998
NTSB Notification Source --
NTSB Notification Date Mar 31 1985 12:00AM
NTSB Notification Time 1258
Fiche Number and/or location -used to find docket information 28387
Date of most recent change to record Jan 2 2001 9:15AM
User who most recently changed record dbo
Basic weather conditions Visual Meteorological Cond
FAA District Office --

Aircraft Involved

Aircraft #1

Aircraft Registration Number N43504
NTSB Number LAX85LVA01
Missing Aircraft Indicator N
Federal Aviation Reg. Part Part 91: General Aviation
Type of Flight Plan filed VFR
Flight plan Was Activated? --
Damage Substantial
Aircraft Fire None
Aircraft Explosion None
Aircraft Manufacturer's Full Name PIPER
Aircraft Model PA28-236
Aircraft Series Identifier PA28-236
Aircraft Serial Number 28-8411015
Certified Max Gross Weight 3000
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 23 1985 12:00AM
Airframe hours since last inspection 531
Airframe Hours 2270
ELT Installed Yes
ELT Activated No
ELT Aided Location of Event Site No
ELT Type --
Aircraft Owner Name MICHEL, HERBERT L. JR.
Aircraft Owner Street Address 911 W. PICO BLVE., SUITE 990
Aircraft Owner City LOS ANGELES
Aircraft Owner State CA
Aircraft Owner Country
Aircraft Owner Zipcode 90035
Operator is an individual? --
Operator Name
Operator Same as Owner? Yes
Operator Is Doing Business As --
Operator Address Same as Owner? No
Operator Street Address 10701 WILSHIRE 1905
Operator City LOS ANGELES
Operator State CA
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 SMO
Departure City SANTA MONICA
Departure State CA
Departure Country
Departure Time 0
Departure Time Zone
Destination Same as Local Flt --
Destination Airport Code PTV
Destination City PORTERVILLE
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 10:36AM
User who most recently changed record dbo
Since inspection or accident --
Event Location Runway Number and Location 30
Runway Length 6000
Runway Width 146
Sight Seeing flight No
Air Medical Flight No
Medical Flight --