Piper PA-28-180 accident near Jackpot, Nevada, January 1, 2007
On January 1, 2007 at about 2:30 am local time, a Piper PA-28-180, registered N7769W, was substantially damaged in an accident near Jackpot, Nevada (Jackpot airport). It was a personal flight under general aviation rules (Part 91). No one was hurt; 4 people were on board or involved. The weather was visual conditions (good weather).
The NTSB's probable cause their words, unchanged
the pilot's failure to maintain directional control after encountering loose snow conditions on the runway.
Source: NTSB aviation accident database, copy made October 5, 2026. Docket and reports at the NTSB.
What the record shows
- Date
- January 1, 2007 · about 2:30 am local time
- Place
- Jackpot, Nevada · Jackpot · map
- Type
- Accident
- Injuries
- No one was hurt; 4 people were on board or involved.
- Weather
- visual conditions (good weather)
- Aircraft
- Piper PA-28-180 · all PA-28-180s on the register
- Registration
- N7769W · registry record · serial 28-1770
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Personal flight · general aviation rules (Part 91)
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
The airplane veered off the runway during landing and collapsed the nose gear after encountering terrain. The pilot received flight following from ARTCC and the pilot inquired if there were any NOTAMS (Notice to Airmen) for his destination, and they said that there were none. On final as he approached the ground, he noticed that only half or less of the runway pavement was showing. The rest looked like it had a cover of thin packed snow; he said that it was hard to judge if it was loose or packed, and how deep it was. He landed on the visible pavement, which was about 20 to 25 feet wide, and applied the brakes lightly. The airplane pulled to the right, and he countered with left rudder. The right main gear entered the snow, and the airplane veered sharply right and off the runway. The airplane encountered terrain, the nose wheel sheared off, and the cabin buckled aft of the firewall. The snow was found to be loosely packed, and about 6 inches deep. The pilot had landed on packed snow and ice on previous occasions without difficulty, but never on loose snow that thick. He stated that if there had been a NOTAM or UNICOM operator on duty to advise him of the runway conditions, he would have returned home.
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: 82 hours in all; 42 in this make and model; 42 as pilot in command
- Medical certificate: Class 3
- Seat: left
- Injury: no injuries
The aircraft
- Airframe total time: 3,868 hours
- Last inspection: 100-hour inspection, October 1, 2006; 2 hours since
- Seats: 4
- Landing gear: fixed
- Engine: Lycoming O-360-A3A (piston); 0 hours total
- Operator: Hinkle Aviation
The flight
- Departed from: EUL Caldwell ID
- Destination: 06U Jackpot NV
- Flight plan: VFR
- Runway 33, 6,200 ft by 60 ft
Weather at the time
- Light: night
- Visibility: 10 statute miles
- Sky: clear
- Temperature: 21°F (-6°C), dew point 18°F (-8°C)
- Altimeter: 30.23 inHg
- Observation at 10:53 pm from TWF, 32 miles away
Injuries
| Fatal | Serious | Minor | None | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Crew | 1 | |||
| Passengers | 3 |
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.