Piper PA-32-301T accident near Fullerton, California, August 26, 2001
On August 26, 2001 at about 5:39 pm local time, a Piper PA-32-301T, registered N9288X, was substantially damaged in an accident near Fullerton, California (Fullerton airport). It was a personal flight under general aviation rules (Part 91). No one was hurt; 4 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 engine lost power for unknown reasons.
Source: NTSB aviation accident database, copy made October 4, 2026. Docket and reports at the NTSB.
What the record shows
- Date
- August 26, 2001 · about 5:39 pm local time
- Place
- Fullerton, California · Fullerton · map
- Type
- Accident
- Injuries
- No one was hurt; 4 people were on board or involved.
- Weather
- visual conditions (good weather)
- Aircraft
- Piper PA-32-301T · all PA-32-301Ts on the register
- Registration
- N9288X · registry record · serial 3257027
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Personal flight · general aviation rules (Part 91)
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
The airplane collided with a fence during an aborted takeoff. The pilot flew to Fullerton on Tuesday, August 21, and noted no discrepancies. The airplane was full of fuel, and everything checked normal during preflight, taxi, and engine run-up. During the departure, the pilot applied full throttle and noted 38.5 inches of manifold pressure at 2,500 rpm. He crosschecked instruments and his alignment. He was approaching midfield and noted his airspeed was above 65 knots, but not increasing. The manifold pressure looked the same, but the rpm was below 2,500; he thought it had dropped about 100 rpm. The airplane did not feel or sound like it was accelerating. He had not detected any hesitation in the engine, and did not hear any metallic sounds. He elected to abort the takeoff as he passed midfield and pulled the throttle back. He was unable to stop on the runway and collided with an airport boundary fence about 20 feet past the end of the runway shearing off the landing gear and substantially damaging the left wing. During post accident examination of the airplane, the pilot started the engine using his normal procedures. The propeller cycled normally, and both magnetos dropped 50 rpm on the magneto check. The pilot ran the engine up to full takeoff power, and all instruments, including manifold pressure and rpm, went to their red (maximum) limit marks. The pilot reduced power to idle and then ran the engine back to full power with no anomalies noted. The pilot secured the engine using his normal procedures with no difficulties encountered.
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
- LOSS OF ENGINE POWER during takeoff - aborted
- ON GROUND/WATER COLLISION WITH OBJECT during takeoff - aborted
Pilot
- Ratings: single-engine land, none, APLN, none
- Flight time: 788 hours in all; 20 in this make and model; 25 in the last 90 days; 7 in the last 30 days; 699 as pilot in command
- Medical certificate: class 3
- Injury: no injuries
The aircraft
- Airframe total time: 802 hours
- Last inspection: type not recorded, January 4, 2001; 60 hours since
- Maximum gross weight: 3,600 lb
- Seats: 6
- Landing gear: retractable
- Engine: Lycoming TIO-540-AH1A (piston); 0 hours total
- Operating certificate: in the vicinity
The flight
- Departed from: FUL Fullerton CA at 5:39 pm
- Destination: PAO Palo Alto CA
- Flight plan: IFR
- Runway 24, 3,121 ft by 75 ft
Weather at the time
- Light: daylight
- Wind: from 210° at 4 knots
- Visibility: 2.5 statute miles
- Sky: clear
- Temperature: 73°C, dew point 64°C
- Altimeter: 29.870001 inHg
- Observation at 5:44 pm from FUL
Injuries
| Fatal | Serious | Minor | None | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Crew | 1 | |||
| Passengers | 3 |
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 LAX01FA290.