Piper PA-30 accident near Auburn, California, August 22, 2004
On August 22, 2004 at about 5:00 pm local time, a Piper PA-30, registered N8475Y, was substantially damaged in an accident near Auburn, California (Auburn Municipal Airport). It was a personal flight under general aviation rules (Part 91). No one was hurt; 2 people were on board or involved. The weather was visual conditions (good weather).
The NTSB's probable cause their words, unchanged
a collapse of the landing gear for undetermined reasons.
Source: NTSB aviation accident database, copy made October 5, 2026. Docket and reports at the NTSB.
What the record shows
- Date
- August 22, 2004 · about 5:00 pm local time
- Place
- Auburn, California · Auburn Municipal Airport · map
- Type
- Accident
- Injuries
- No one was hurt; 2 people were on board or involved.
- Weather
- visual conditions (good weather)
- Aircraft
- Piper PA-30 · all PA-30s on the register
- Registration
- N8475Y · registry record · serial 304637
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Personal flight · general aviation rules (Part 91)
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
The airplane experienced a landing gear collapse while on the landing roll. After a normal touchdown, the airplane rolled down about 1/3 the runway length and the left main landing gear collapsed, followed by the right main landing gear; the nose gear collapsed when the airplane came to rest. An airplane mechanic stated that during a post accident inspection of the airplane he found no defects or faults that could have resulted in a landing gear failure. He further noted that the squat switch was intact and operated normally. A Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) inspector examined the airplane and stated that the main landing gear doors were crushed outward; an indication that the landing gear were extended when the collapse occurred.
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: multi-engine land; single-engine land; instrument: airplane; rotorcraft: airship; rotorcraft: balloon; rotorcraft: helicopter
- Flight time: 2,400 hours in all; 1,500 in this make and model; 47 in the last 90 days; 29 in the last 30 days
- Last flight review: June 1, 2003
- Medical certificate: Class 1 (valid medical--no waivers/lim.)
- Seat: left
- Injury: no injuries
The aircraft
- Airframe total time: 5,058 hours
- Last inspection: annual inspection, May 1, 2004; 40 hours since
- Maximum gross weight: 3,600 lb
- Seats: 4
- Landing gear: retractable
- Engine: Lycoming IO-320 (piston); 0 hours total
The flight
- Departed from: PNA Pinedale WY at 1:00 pm
- Destination: AUN Auburn CA
- Flight plan: none
- Runway 07, 3,700 ft by 75 ft
Weather at the time
- Light: daylight
- Wind: from 160° at 8 knots
- Visibility: 10 statute miles
- Sky: a few clouds at 11,000 ft
- Temperature: 64°F (18°C), dew point 54°F (12°C)
- Altimeter: 29.88 inHg
- Observation at 5:10 pm from AUN
Injuries
| Fatal | Serious | Minor | None | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Crew | 1 | |||
| Passengers | 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.