Piper PA-38-112 accident near Fresno, California, April 11, 2000
On April 11, 2000 at about 4:10 pm local time, a Piper PA-38-112, registered N2500T, was substantially damaged in an accident near Fresno, California (Fresno Airport). It was an instructional flight under general aviation rules (Part 91). No one was hurt; 1 person was on board or involved. The weather was visual conditions (good weather).
The NTSB's probable cause their words, unchanged
The student pilot's loss of directional control on takeoff that resulted in a collision with a taxiway surface.
Source: NTSB aviation accident database, copy made October 5, 2026. Docket and reports at the NTSB.
What the record shows
- Date
- April 11, 2000 · about 4:10 pm local time
- Place
- Fresno, California · Fresno Airport · map
- Type
- Accident
- Injuries
- No one was hurt; 1 person was on board or involved.
- Weather
- visual conditions (good weather)
- Aircraft
- Piper PA-38-112 · all PA-38-112s on the register
- Registration
- N2500T · registry record · serial 38-78A 0817
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Instructional flight · general aviation rules (Part 91)
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
The student pilot was on his third solo flight, his first unsupervised. After applying power for a short field takeoff, the student aborted and the airplane began to veer to the left side of the runway. A runway light was hit as the airplane moved into the unpaved area adjacent to the airstrip. In order to decelerate the airplane, the student pulled back on the controls, but the airplane floated before settling again. The airplane continued through the unpaved area and impacted on the taxiway surface where the nose gear collapsed. The short field takeoffs were requested by the instructor prior to the flight. The student's logbooks indicate that he received instruction in short field takeoff procedures on April 8 and 10, 2000.
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
Pilot
- Certificate: student
- Flight time: 13 hours in all; 13 in this make and model; 13 in the last 90 days
- Medical certificate: Class 1 (without waivers/limitations)
- Seat: left
- Injury: no injuries
The aircraft
- Airframe total time: 11,021 hours
- Last inspection: annual inspection, March 15, 2000; 50 hours since
- Maximum gross weight: 1,670 lb
- Seats: 2
- Landing gear: fixed
- Engine: Lycoming O-235-L2C (piston); 0 hours total
The flight
- Departed from: FAT Fresno CA at 5:30 pm
- Destination: Fresno CA
- Flight plan: none
- Runway 29L, 7,206 ft by 100 ft
Weather at the time
- Light: daylight
- Wind: at 4 knots
- Visibility: 10 statute miles
- Sky: broken clouds at 20,000 ft; clear
- Temperature: 66°F (19°C), dew point 52°F (11°C)
- Altimeter: 30.09 inHg
- Observation at 3:55 pm from FAT
Injuries
| Fatal | Serious | Minor | None | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Crew | 1 |
Documents from the investigation the NTSB's docket: the evidence folder behind the report
The docket, the folder of records gathered during an investigation (maintenance records, photographs, witness statements, examinations), has not been read from the NTSB for this case yet; the list appears here once it has. Open the docket at the NTSB.
Everything on this page comes from the NTSB's public records. The narrative, probable cause and findings are the NTSB's own words; the coded tables behind the report are written out in plain English, with pilots' ages, home towns and medical details left out. The documents and photographs are the NTSB's docket, shown as the NTSB released them. This site's own text never names anyone involved. A preliminary report can change; the final report usually follows one to two years later, and the page is refreshed when it does.