Piper PA-32R-301T accident near Groveland, California, December 14, 2001
On December 14, 2001 at about 1:55 am local time, a Piper PA-32R-301T, registered N4328B, was substantially damaged in an accident near Groveland, California (Pine Mountain Lake airport). It was a personal flight under general aviation rules (Part 91). No one was hurt; 3 people were on board or involved. The weather was visual conditions (good weather).
The NTSB's probable cause their words, unchanged
The pilot's collision with an unobserved animal that entered the active runway during the dark nighttime when the pilot's visibility was diminished.
Source: NTSB aviation accident database, copy made October 5, 2026. Docket and reports at the NTSB.
What the record shows
- Date
- December 14, 2001 · about 1:55 am local time
- Place
- Groveland, California · Pine Mountain Lake · map
- Type
- Accident
- Injuries
- No one was hurt; 3 people were on board or involved.
- Weather
- visual conditions (good weather)
- Aircraft
- Piper PA-32R-301T · all PA-32R-301Ts on the register
- Registration
- N4328B · registry record · serial 32R-8429003
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Personal flight · general aviation rules (Part 91)
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
During the pilot's dark nighttime landing flare on runway 09 at the uncontrolled airport, an unobserved deer crossed the active runway in front of the approaching airplane. The airplane's undercarriage impacted the deer, and the landing gear collapsed. Thereafter, the pilot lost control of the airplane as it veered off the runway coming to rest oriented 180 degrees from the landing direction. The Federal Aviation Administration's "Airport/Facility Directory" contained the following remark for the airport: "Be alert deer on and in vicinity of arpt...."
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: commercial pilot
- Ratings: single-engine land; instrument: airplane
- Flight time: 544 hours in all; 113 in this make and model; 37 in the last 90 days; 5 in the last 30 days; 398 as pilot in command
- Last flight review: April 1, 2001
- Medical certificate: Class 3 (valid medical--no waivers/lim.)
- Seat: left
- Injury: no injuries
The aircraft
- Airframe total time: 3,808 hours
- Last inspection: 100-hour inspection, September 6, 2001; 27 hours since
- Maximum gross weight: 3,600 lb
- Seats: 6
- Landing gear: fixed
- Engine: Lycoming TIO-540-S1AD (piston); 0 hours total
The flight
- Departed from: SJC San Jose CA at 1:00 am
- Destination: Q68 Groveland
- Flight plan: IFR
- Runway 09, 3,625 ft by 50 ft
- A second pilot was aboard
Weather at the time
- Light: night, dark
- Visibility: 4 statute miles
- Sky: clear
- Temperature: 48°F (9°C), dew point 39°F (4°C)
- Altimeter: 30.15 inHg
- Observation at 1:53 am from MOD, 39 miles away
Injuries
| Fatal | Serious | Minor | None | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Crew | 1 | |||
| Passengers | 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.