Piper PA-28R-201T accident near Dunsmuir, California, September 10, 2005
On September 10, 2005 at about 1:00 am local time, a Piper PA-28R-201T, registered N391TM, was substantially damaged in an accident near Dunsmuir, California (Dunsmuir Muni-Mott 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
the pilot's delayed decision to abort the takeoff.
Source: NTSB aviation accident database, copy made October 5, 2026. Docket and reports at the NTSB.
What the record shows
- Date
- September 10, 2005 · about 1:00 am local time
- Place
- Dunsmuir, California · Dunsmuir Muni-Mott · map
- Type
- Accident
- Injuries
- No one was hurt; 2 people were on board or involved.
- Weather
- visual conditions (good weather)
- Aircraft
- Piper PA-28R-201T · all PA-28R-201Ts on the register
- Registration
- N391TM · registry record · serial 28R-7803200
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Personal flight · general aviation rules (Part 91)
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
The airplane overran the runway during an aborted takeoff, and went into a ditch. During the takeoff ground roll on the 2,700-foot-long runway, the pilot decided that he lacked adequate airspeed for the takeoff, and decided to abort. He lacked sufficient distance to stop on the runway. The airplane went off the end of the runway and into a ditch. The pilot said that there were no mechanical malfunctions or failures with the aircraft.
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: 207 hours in all; 73 in this make and model; 27 in the last 90 days; 14 in the last 30 days
- Medical certificate: Class 3
- Injury: no injuries
The aircraft
- Landing gear: retractable
- Engine: Continental TSIO-360-FB15 (piston); 0 hours total
The flight
- Departed from: 106 Dunsmuir CA
- Destination: CCR Concord CA
- Flight plan: none
- Runway 32, 2,700 ft by 60 ft
Weather at the time
- Light: daylight
- Wind: from 220° at 6 knots
- Visibility: 10 statute miles
- Sky: clear
- Temperature: 72°F (22°C), dew point 54°F (12°C)
- Altimeter: 29.72 inHg
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.