Piper PA-32R-301T accident near Gualala, California, June 3, 2006
On June 3, 2006 at about 7:15 pm local time, a Piper PA-32R-301T, registered N4174Z, was substantially damaged in an accident near Gualala, California (Ocean Ridge 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 misjudged distance and speed, which resulted in a runway overrun. A contributing factor was the hump in the runway.
Source: NTSB aviation accident database, copy made October 5, 2026. Docket and reports at the NTSB.
What the record shows
- Date
- June 3, 2006 · about 7:15 pm local time
- Place
- Gualala, California · Ocean Ridge · 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
- N4174Z · registry record · serial 3257179
- 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 departure end of the 2,500-foot runway on landing and the landing gear collapsed. The runway had a hump in its middle that decreased the landing visibility. The pilot said that when he realized that he needed to perform a go-around, he did not have the runway available to safety execute the procedure. The pilot said that there were no mechanical failures or malfunctions during the flight.
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; instrument: airplane
- Flight time: 615 hours in all; 165 in this make and model; 51 in the last 90 days; 18 in the last 30 days
- Medical certificate: Class 3
The aircraft
- Landing gear: retractable
- Engine: Textron Lycoming TIO-540-AH1A (piston); 0 hours total
The flight
- Departed from: CA35 San Rafael CA
- Destination: E55 Gualala CA
- Flight plan: none
- Runway 13, 2,500 ft by 50 ft
Weather at the time
- Light: daylight
- Visibility: 10 statute miles
- Sky: clear
- Temperature: 81°F (27°C), dew point 0°F (-18°C)
- Altimeter: 29.79 inHg
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.