Piper PA-28-140 accident near Long Beach, California, May 31, 2000
On May 31, 2000 at about 10:36 pm local time, a Piper PA-28-140, registered N6349W, was substantially damaged in an accident near Long Beach, California (Long Beach airport). It was an instructional flight under general aviation rules (Part 91). 2 people had minor injuries. The weather was visual conditions (good weather).
The NTSB's probable cause their words, unchanged
The student pilot's failure to maintain directional control during takeoff and his subsequent failure to relinquish control of the airplane.
Source: NTSB aviation accident database, copy made October 5, 2026. Docket and reports at the NTSB.
What the record shows
- Date
- May 31, 2000 · about 10:36 pm local time
- Place
- Long Beach, California · Long Beach · map
- Type
- Accident
- Injuries
- 2 people had minor injuries.
- Weather
- visual conditions (good weather)
- Aircraft
- Piper PA-28-140 · all PA-28-140s on the register
- Registration
- N6349W · no longer on the register · serial 28-20407
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Instructional flight · general aviation rules (Part 91)
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
The airplane veered off the runway during the takeoff phase of a touch-and-go. The flight instructor noticed the plane veering and told the student to correct it with left rudder. When the student did not correct for the drift, the flight instructor tried to take over, but the student would not relinquish the controls. The airplane veered off the runway, and the nose gear subsequently collapsed and the airplane came to rest inverted.
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: flight instructor, commercial pilot
- Ratings: multi-engine land; single-engine land; instructor: airplane single-engine; instructor: instrument airplane; instrument: airplane
- Flight time: 610 hours in all; 22 in this make and model; 222 in the last 90 days; 97 in the last 30 days; 517 as pilot in command; 274 on instruments
- Last flight review: May 30, 2000
- Medical certificate: Class 2 (valid medical--w/ waivers/lim.)
- Seat: rgt
- Injury: minor injuries
Dual student
- Certificate: student
- Flight time: 18 hours in all; 2 in this make and model; 7 in the last 90 days; 4 in the last 30 days
- Medical certificate: Class 3 (valid medical--no waivers/lim.)
- Seat: left
- Injury: minor injuries
The aircraft
- Airframe total time: 3,148 hours
- Last inspection: 100-hour inspection; 12 hours since
- Maximum gross weight: 2,150 lb
- Seats: 4
- Landing gear: fixed
- Engine: Lycoming O320 E2A (piston); 0 hours total
The flight
- Departed from: FUL Fullerton CA at 10:20 pm
- Destination: LGB Long Beach CA
- Flight plan: none
- Runway 250, 5,420 ft by 150 ft
Weather at the time
- Light: daylight
- Wind: from 190° at 10 knots
- Visibility: 10 statute miles
- Sky: clear
- Temperature: 73°F (23°C), dew point 57°F (14°C)
- Altimeter: 29.86 inHg
- Observation at 10:56 pm from LGB
Injuries
| Fatal | Serious | Minor | None | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Crew | 2 |
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.