Piper PA-28 accident near Truckee, California, February 19, 1990
On February 19, 1990 at about 6:20 pm local time, a Piper PA-28, registered N89BY, was substantially damaged in an accident near Truckee, California (Truckee 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 LOSS OF DIRECTIONAL CONTROL AFTER LANDING ON A RECENTLY PLOWED RUNWAY. CONTRIBUTING TO THE ACCIDENT WAS THE FOUR FOOT HIGH SNOW BERM ALONGSIDE THE RUNWAY AND THE ICY SPOTS ON THE RUNWAY.
Source: NTSB aviation accident database, copy made October 5, 2026. Docket and reports at the NTSB.
What the record shows
- Date
- February 19, 1990 · about 6:20 pm local time
- Place
- Truckee, California · Truckee
- Type
- Accident
- Injuries
- No one was hurt; 3 people were on board or involved.
- Weather
- visual conditions (good weather)
- Aircraft
- Piper PA-28 · all PA-28s on the register
- Registration
- N89BY · registry record
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Personal flight · general aviation rules (Part 91)
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
THE PILOT LANDED A PIPER PA-28 ON A RECENTLY PLOWED RUNWAY THAT HAD A FEW ICY SPOTS. THE WIND WAS CALM. THE PILOT LOST DIRECTIONAL CONTROL AND COLLIDED WITH A FOUR FOOT HIGH SNOW BERM. RUNWAY 19 IS 3700 FEET LONG AND 60 FEET WIDE. THE PILOT STATED THERE WAS NO MECHANICAL PROBLEMS.
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: 200 hours in all
- Medical certificate: Unknown
- Seat: unk
The aircraft
- Last inspection: inspection type not recorded; 0 hours since
- Maximum gross weight: 2,400 lb
- Seats: 4
- Landing gear: fixed
- Engine: Lycoming O-360-A4M (piston); 0 hours total
The flight
- Departed from: 056 Novato CA at 4:15 pm
- Destination: TRK
- Flight plan: none
- Runway 19, 3,700 ft by 60 ft
Weather at the time
- Light: daylight
- Visibility: 50 statute miles
- Sky: clear
- Temperature: 0°F (-18°C), dew point 0°F (-18°C)
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.