Piper PA-24-250 accident near Petaluma, California, February 14, 2001
On February 14, 2001 at about 8:30 pm local time, a Piper PA-24-250, registered N8286P, was substantially damaged in an accident near Petaluma, California (Petaluma Muni airport). It was a personal 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
Failure of non-airframe and powerplant mechanic/certificated owners to properly install a new mixture cable that became entangled in the nose landing gear during its extension for landing, resulting in a loss of engine power.
Source: NTSB aviation accident database, copy made October 5, 2026. Docket and reports at the NTSB.
What the record shows
- Date
- February 14, 2001 · about 8:30 pm local time
- Place
- Petaluma, California · Petaluma Muni · map
- Type
- Accident
- Injuries
- No one was hurt; 1 person was on board or involved.
- Weather
- visual conditions (good weather)
- Aircraft
- Piper PA-24-250 · all PA-24-250s on the register
- Registration
- N8286P · registry record · serial 24-3538
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Personal flight · general aviation rules (Part 91)
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
During landing, the engine lost power. The airplane collided with trees, and made a hard landing in an open dirt field in the ensuing forced landing. On the downwind leg for landing, the pilot lowered the landing gear, and the engine began to run rough. He noted that the landing gear stopped about halfway down. He attempted to add power, but did not receive a corresponding power increase, and set up for an emergency landing. A visual external examination of the engine revealed that the mixture cable was entangled in the nose landing gear. When the landing gear was lowered the mixture cable was pulled out of its sleeve, which allowed the engine to be in a full lean position. Mixture, throttle, and propeller cables were recently installed by the pilot and his two partners. The pilot and his partners were not certificated A & P mechanics, and a certified mechanic had not returned the airplane to service after the cable installation. The last entry in the logbook was made 6 months prior to the accident,.
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: private
- Ratings: single-engine land
- Flight time: 331 hours in all; 241 in this make and model; 3 in the last 90 days; 1 in the last 30 days; 294 as pilot in command
- Last flight review: March 18, 2000
- Medical certificate: Class 3 (valid medical--no waivers/lim.)
- Seat: left
- Injury: no injuries
The aircraft
- Airframe total time: 2,339 hours
- Last inspection: annual inspection, March 3, 2000
- Maximum gross weight: 2,900 lb
- Seats: 4
- Landing gear: retractable
- Engine: Lycoming O-540-A1D5 (piston); 0 hours total
The flight
- Departed from: STS Santa Rosa CA at 7:45 pm
- Destination: O69 Petaluma CA
- Flight plan: none
- Runway 11, 3,600 ft by 75 ft
Weather at the time
- Light: daylight
- Wind: from 200° at 5 knots
- Visibility: 10 statute miles
- Sky: clear
- Temperature: 54°F (12°C), dew point 32°F (0°C)
- Altimeter: 30.05 inHg
- Observation at 7:53 pm from STS, 22 miles away
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.