Piper PA-28-161 N9353C

Summary

On 12 August 2010 at about 21:10 local time, a Piper PA-28-161 registered N9353C, operated by Honeycutt Daniel DBA, was involved in an accident near Garberville, California, United States. One person was 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.

Date

12 August 2010 at 21:10

Classification

Accident

Location

Garberville, California, United States

Nearest airport

Garberville Airport (O16)

Coordinates

40.0847, -123.8086

Aircraft

Piper PA-28-161

Registration

N9353C

Category

Airplane

Engines

1

Operator

Honeycutt Daniel DBA

Operating rule

Part 91: General Aviation

Purpose of flight

Personal

Phase of flight

Not recorded

Route

Marysville → Garberville

Aircraft damage

Substantial

Weather

VMC

Light

Day

NTSB number

WPR10CA372

Nobody was injured.

The pilot’s improper airspeed, misjudged approach, and failure to attain the proper touchdown point. Contributing to the accident was the pilot’s lack of familiarity with the airport.

Quoted verbatim from the NTSB record. This site does not paraphrase or interpret it.

Read the full NTSB narrative

The pilot reported that while on the base leg of the traffic pattern his view of the unfamiliar airport, located in a mountain valley, was inhibited due to a hill. As the airport came into view the pilot realized he was too high and he initiated a descent with reduced power and full flaps. The airplane approached the runway with higher than normal airspeed and by the time the airplane touched down; there was not enough runway to stop. The airplane exited the end of the runway and proceeded into a ditch, substantially damaging the firewall. The pilot reported no mechanical failures or malfunctions with the airframe or engine prior to the accident. The pilot further stated the accident could have been prevented by familiarizing himself with the airport.

Quoted verbatim from the NTSB record.