Piper PA-32-300 accident near Oroville, California, April 27, 1985
On April 27, 1985 at about 9:00 pm local time, a Piper PA-32-300, registered N15420, was substantially damaged in an accident near Oroville, California (Oroville Muni 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 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 27, 1985 · about 9:00 pm local time
- Place
- Oroville, California · Oroville Muni · map
- Type
- Accident
- Injuries
- No one was hurt; 3 people were on board or involved.
- Weather
- visual conditions (good weather)
- Aircraft
- Piper PA-32-300 · all PA-32-300s on the register
- Registration
- N15420 · no longer on the register · serial 32-7340042
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Personal flight · general aviation rules (Part 91)
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
AFTER OVERFLYING THE ARPT TO EVALUATE LOCAL CONDITIONS, THE PIC ELECTED TO LAND ON RWY 01. THE WIND WAS ESTIMATED FROM 330 DEGS AT 15 KTS WITH GUSTS TO 20 KTS. THE PIC REPORTED THAT ON FINAL APCH WITH THE ACFT'S FLAPS FULLY EXTENDED, SHE OBSERVED THAT THE WIND HAD CHANGED FROM A LEFT TO RIGHT X-WIND. THE PIC REDUCED PWR (UNDER DIRECTION OF THE SAFETY PLT), THE AIRSPEED DECREASED & THE ACFT BOUNCED HARD ON ITS NOSE GEAR. THE PIC LOST CONTROL OF THE ACFT, & THE SAFETY PLT, THE SPOUSE OF THE PIC, TOOK CONTROL OF THE ACFT. THE SAFETY PLT REPORTED THAT THE ACFT CONTINUED TO DRIFT LEFT OFF THE RWY. HE STATED THAT HIS SEAT WAS IN A REARWARD POSITION, & AFTER HE APPLIED FULL PWR IN AN ATTEMPT AT GOING AROUND HE WAS UNABLE TO REACH THE RUDDER PEDALS. THE ACFT VEERED OFF THE RWY & THE SAFETY PLT ABORTED THE ATTEMPTED GO AROUND. THE ACFT COLLIDED WITH A FENCE & CAME TO A STOP IN A PARKING LOT 150 YDS FROM THE RWY.
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
- Flight time: 131 hours in all; 124 in this make and model; 11 in the last 90 days; 4 in the last 30 days; 64 as pilot in command
- Medical certificate: Class 3 (valid medical--no waivers/lim.)
- Seat: left
The aircraft
- Airframe total time: 4,800 hours
- Last inspection: annual inspection, April 4, 1985; 16 hours since
- Maximum gross weight: 3,600 lb
- Seats: 4
- Landing gear: fixed
- Engine: Lycoming IO-540-K1A5 (piston); 0 hours total
The flight
- Departed from: SNS Salinas CA at 7:10 pm
- Destination: OVE Oroville CA
- Flight plan: VFR
- Runway 1, 5,960 ft by 150 ft
- A second pilot was aboard
Weather at the time
- Light: daylight
- Wind: from 330° at 15 knots, gusting 20
- Visibility: 35 statute miles
- Sky: clear
- Temperature: 72°F (22°C), dew point 0°F (-18°C)
Injuries
| Fatal | Serious | Minor | None | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Crew | 2 | |||
| 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 N15420 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.