Piper PA-38-112 N4439E
1 May 1989 · Gerlach, Nevada, United States · No injuries
Summary
On 1 May 1989 at about 20:00 local time, a Piper PA-38-112 registered N4439E, operated by Eugene E. Thebus, was involved in an accident near Gerlach, Nevada, United States. 2 people were on board and nobody was injured. The aircraft was substantially damaged. The NTSB has published a probable cause for this accident; it is quoted in full below.
The record
- Date
- at 20:00
- Classification
- Accident
- Location
- Gerlach, Nevada, United States
- Nearest airport
- Spoo Ranch Strip
- Coordinates
- 40.8595, -119.3196
- Aircraft
- Piper PA-38-112
- Registration
- N4439E
- Category
- Airplane
- Engines
- 1
- Operator
- Eugene E. Thebus
- Operating rule
- Part 91: General Aviation
- Purpose of flight
- Instructional
- Phase of flight
- Not recorded
- Route
- Reno → Unknown
- Aircraft damage
- Substantial
- Weather
- VMC
- Light
- Day
- NTSB number
- SEA89LA077
People
Nobody was injured.
| On board | Died | Serious | Minor | Uninjured |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 2 |
Probable cause
A DELAY BY THE PILOT IN ABORTING THE LANDING AND HIS FAILURE TO ASSURE SUFFICIENT AIRSPEED FOR THE GO-AROUND (ABORTED LANDING). A FACTOR RELATED TO THE ACCIDENT WAS: THE UNSUITABLE LANDING AREA THAT WAS SELECTED BY THE PILOT.
Quoted verbatim from the NTSB record. This site does not paraphrase or interpret it.
Read the full NTSB narrative
THE INSTRUCTOR PLT (CFI) ELECTED TO DEMONSTRATE A SOFT FIELD LANDING AT AN UNIMPROVED RANCH STRIP. AS HE WAS ABOUT TO LAND, HE SAW MOUNDS OF SOFT DIRT ON THE STRIP & INCREASED POWER TO 'CARRY THE GLIDE BEYOND THEM.' SUBSEQUENTLY, HE REALIZED THERE WAS INSUFFICIENT RWY REMAINING TO COMPLETE THE LANDING, SO HE INITIATED A GO-AROUND. HE APPLIED FULL POWER & RAISED THE ACFT'S NOSE TO CLEAR A FENCE, BUT THE ACFT LOST FLYING SPEED & SETTLED INTO A FIELD BEYOND THE LANDING AREA. THE LANDING GEAR THEN HIT AN IRRIGATION PIPE & WAS DAMAGED.
Quoted verbatim from the NTSB record.
Other Piper PA-38 accidents
| Date | Aircraft | Location | Operator | Outcome | Died |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 22 Oct 1989 | Piper PA-38-112 | Charles City, Iowa, United States | Charles City Aeronautics, Inc | No injuries | - |
| 25 Aug 1989 | Piper PA-38-112 | Gainesville, Georgia, United States | Belle Isle Int'l Acft Sales | No injuries | - |
| 13 Jul 1989 | Piper PA-38-112 | Granite, Oklahoma, United States | Micheal T. Worrell | No injuries | - |
| 21 Oct 1989 | Piper PA-38-112 | Lincoln, Illinois, United States | - | No injuries | - |
| 2 Apr 1989 | Piper PA-38-112 | Allegan, Michigan, United States | Roblin Enterprises, Inc. | No injuries | - |
| 24 Mar 1989 | Piper PA-38-112 | Mayflower, Arkansas, United States | Barrett Aviation | Fatal | 2 |
Other accidents in this area
| Date | Aircraft | Location | Operator | Outcome | Died |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 26 Nov 1989 | Piper PA-32-300 | Boulder City, Nevada, United States | Bellis, James E. | No injuries | - |
| 19 Nov 1989 | Balloon Works FIREFLY 7 | Las Vegas, Nevada, United States | Richard K. Tanner | Minor injuries | - |
| 27 Jan 1989 | Piper PA-23-160 | Carson City, Nevada, United States | - | Fatal | 1 |
| 29 Jan 1989 | Aeronca O-58B | Minden, Nevada, United States | - | Fatal | 2 |
| 23 Feb 1989 | Mooney M20K | Incline Village, Nevada, United States | Performance Aircraft, Inc. | Minor injuries | - |
| 2 Apr 1989 | Cessna 172P | Hawthorne, Nevada, United States | - | Minor injuries | - |