Piper PA-34-200T accident near Columbia, California, March 27, 1988
On March 27, 1988 at about 2:15 am local time, a Piper PA-34-200T, registered N47766, was substantially damaged in an accident near Columbia, California (Columbia 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 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
- March 27, 1988 · about 2:15 am local time
- Place
- Columbia, California · Columbia · map
- Type
- Accident
- Injuries
- No one was hurt; 4 people were on board or involved.
- Weather
- visual conditions (good weather)
- Aircraft
- Piper PA-34-200T · all PA-34-200Ts on the register
- Registration
- N47766 · registry record · serial 347870002
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Personal flight · general aviation rules (Part 91)
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
AT THE END OF A CROSS COUNTRY FLT, ON TOUCHDOWN, THE ACFT BEGAN TO BOUNCE. THE PILOT WAS UNABLE TO STOP THE ACFT BEFORE IT RAN OFF THE END OF THE RWY, WHERE IT CAME TO REST AFTER THE LEFT MAIN GEAR COLLAPSED. A WITNESS SAID THAT THE ACFT LANDED HALF WAY DOWN 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: airline transport pilot, flight instructor, commercial pilot
- Ratings: multi-engine land; single-engine land; instructor: airplane multi-engine; instructor: airplane single-engine; instrument: airplane
- Flight time: 7,200 hours in all; 543 in this make and model; 18 in the last 90 days; 2,942 as pilot in command; 288 on instruments
- Medical certificate: Class 1 (valid medical--no waivers/lim.)
- Seat: left
The aircraft
- Airframe total time: 1,241 hours
- Last inspection: annual inspection, October 22, 1987; 36 hours since
- Maximum gross weight: 4,570 lb
- Seats: 6
- Landing gear: retractable
- Engine: Continental TSIO-360E (piston); 0 hours total
- Operator: Milliom Air
The flight
- Departed from: SJC San Jose CA at 1:40 am
- Destination: 022 Columbia CA
- Flight plan: none
- Runway 17, 4,060 ft by 75 ft
Weather at the time
- Light: daylight
- Wind: from 320° at 8 knots
- Visibility: 60 statute miles
- Sky: scat at 25,000 ft
- Temperature: 79°F (26°C), dew point 46°F (8°C)
- Altimeter: 29.00 inHg
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.