Piper PA-24-260 accident near Hollister, California, April 1, 1983
On April 1, 1983 at about 3:00 am local time, a Piper PA-24-260, registered N9324P, was substantially damaged in an accident near Hollister, California (Hollister 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 NTSB has not yet published a probable cause for this accident. Investigations usually take one to two years; this page updates when the final report is released.
Source: NTSB aviation accident database, copy made October 5, 2026. Docket and reports at the NTSB.
What the record shows
- Date
- April 1, 1983 · about 3:00 am local time
- Place
- Hollister, California · Hollister · map
- Type
- Accident
- Injuries
- No one was hurt; 2 people were on board or involved.
- Weather
- visual conditions (good weather)
- Aircraft
- Piper PA-24-260 · all PA-24-260s on the register
- Registration
- N9324P · no longer on the register · serial 24-4821
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Personal flight · general aviation rules (Part 91)
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
WHILE ON FINAL APCH TO LAND AT NIGHT, THE RIGHT MAIN GEAR OF THE ACFT STRUCK A SEMI-TRAILER TRUCK AS THE ACFT CROSSED OVER A HIGHWAY. THE CENTERLINE OF THE HIGHWAY WAS LOCATED APRX 102 FT FROM THE APCH END OF THE RWY. THE PLT CONTINUED THE LANDING & THE RIGHT MAIN GEAR COLLAPSED DURING THE LANDING ROLL. AN INVESTIGATION REVEALED THAT THE RIGHT MAIN GEAR HIT THE TOP OF THE TRUCK CAB, 9 FT 7 INCHES ABOVE GROUND LEVEL, DAMAGING THE CAB, WINDSHIELD & VERTICLE EXHAUST STACK. THE RWY WAS 4350 FT LONG & HAD A 750 FT DISPLACED THRESHOLD. NO VASI LIGHTS WERE INSTALLED.
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: 524 hours in all; 524 in this make and model; 9 in the last 90 days; 476 as pilot in command
- Medical certificate: Unknown (valid medical--w/ waivers/lim.)
- Seat: left
The aircraft
- Airframe total time: 3,200 hours
- Last inspection: annual inspection, March 9, 1983; 2 hours since
- Maximum gross weight: 3,200 lb
- Seats: 4
- Landing gear: retractable
- Engine: Lycoming IO-540-D4A5 (piston); 0 hours total
The flight
- Flight plan: none
- Runway 23, 4,350 ft by 200 ft
Weather at the time
- Light: night, bright
- Visibility: 10 statute miles
- Sky: clear
- Temperature: 61°F (16°C), dew point 0°F (-18°C)
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.
Other NTSB records under N9324P the same tail number, which may have belonged to a different aircraft at the time
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.