Piper PA28 accident near Big Bear, California, June 4, 2017
On June 4, 2017 at about 8:20 pm local time, a 1967 Piper PA28, registered N9238W, was substantially damaged in an accident during landing near Big Bear, California (Big Bear City airport). It was a personal flight under general aviation rules (Part 91). No one was hurt; 2 people were on board or involved. The weather was visual conditions (good weather).
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The NTSB's probable cause their words, unchanged
The pilot’s improper landing flare, which resulted in a hard landing and a subsequent loss of directional control.
Source: NTSB aviation accident database, copy made October 4, 2026. Docket and reports at the NTSB.
What the record shows
- Date
- June 4, 2017 · about 8:20 pm local time
- Place
- Big Bear, California · Big Bear City · map
- Type
- Accident
- Injuries
- No one was hurt; 2 people were on board or involved.
- Weather
- visual conditions (good weather)
- Aircraft
- Piper PA28 235, built 1967 · all PA28s on the register
- Registration
- N9238W · registry record · serial 28-10908
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Personal flight · general aviation rules (Part 91)
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
The pilot reported that, during the landing flare, the airplane encountered a "sudden massive gust of wind" that pitched the nose up. He pushed the yoke forward, but the wind shifted to a tailwind, and the airplane "slammed" onto the runway. Subsequently, the left main landing gear collapsed, the airplane veered right off the runway, and it then came to rest nose down. The airplane sustained substantial damage to the left wing. The pilot reported that there were no preaccident mechanical failures or malfunctions with the airplane that would have precluded normal operation. The automated weather observation system at the airport reported that, about the time of the accident, the wind was from 260° at 4 knots. The pilot landed on runway 26.
The complete narrative as the NTSB published it. The NTSB's docket holds the report as a PDF and any photographs, statements and other documents from the investigation.
The factual record from the NTSB's investigation tables, in plain English
What happened, in order
- Hard landing during landing defining event
- Landing gear collapse during landing
- Runway excursion during landing
- Nose over/nose down during landing
The NTSB's findings
- cause Personnel issues › Task performance › Use of equip/info › Aircraft control › Pilot
- cause Aircraft › Aircraft oper/perf/capability › Performance/control parameters › Landing flare › Not attained/maintained
- cause Aircraft › Aircraft oper/perf/capability › Performance/control parameters › Directional control › Not attained/maintained
Pilot
- Certificate: private
- Ratings: single-engine land; instrument: airplane
- Flight time: 1,047 hours in all; 1,047 in this make and model; 18 in the last 90 days; 5 in the last 30 days
- Last flight review: August 3, 2015
- Medical certificate: Class 3 (with waivers/limitations)
- Seat: left
- Injury: no injuries
The aircraft
- Airframe total time: 4,409.6 hours
- Last inspection: annual inspection, December 1, 2016
- Maximum gross weight: 2,950 lb
- Seats: 4
- Landing gear: fixed
- Engine: Lycoming TIO-540 SER (piston); 4,414 hours total
The flight
- Departed from: WHP Los Angeles CA at 7:40 pm
- Destination: L35 Big Bear CA
- Flight plan: VFR
- Runway 26, 5,850 ft by 75 ft
Weather at the time
- Light: daylight
- Wind: from 260° at 4 knots
- Visibility: 10 statute miles
- Sky: scat at 11,000 ft
- Temperature: 81°F (27°C), dew point 30°F (-1°C)
- Altimeter: 30.35 inHg
- Observation at 8:15 pm from KL35
Injuries
| Fatal | Serious | Minor | None | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Flig | 1 | |||
| Passengers | 1 |
About this page
Everything above comes from the NTSB's public accident database: the narrative, probable cause and findings are the NTSB's own words, and the coded tables behind its report (pilot, aircraft, flight, weather, injuries, sequence of events) are written out in plain English. Pilots' ages, home towns and medical details are left out on purpose. The docket at the NTSB holds the report as a PDF and the investigation's photographs and documents. This site never names pilots, passengers or anyone else involved. A preliminary report describes what is known soon after the event and can change; the final report, with the probable cause, usually follows one to two years later and this page is refreshed when it does. Case number GAA17CA354.