Piper PA46 accident near Paso Robles, California, April 17, 1990
On April 17, 1990 at about 6:45 pm local time, a Piper PA46, registered N4387S, was substantially damaged in an accident near Paso Robles, California (Paso Robles Muni airport). It was an instructional 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
INADEQUATE ALTITUDE FOR PROPER LANDING GEAR EXTENSION; NOT ENSURING THE LANDING GEAR WAS DOWN AND LOCKED; COMPLACENCY OF THE CERTIFIED FLIGHT INSTRUCTOR.
Source: NTSB aviation accident database, copy made October 5, 2026. Docket and reports at the NTSB.
What the record shows
- Date
- April 17, 1990 · about 6:45 pm local time
- Place
- Paso Robles, California · Paso Robles Muni · map
- Type
- Accident
- Injuries
- No one was hurt; 3 people were on board or involved.
- Weather
- visual conditions (good weather)
- Aircraft
- Piper PA46 · all PA46s on the register
- Registration
- N4387S · no longer on the register · serial 46-8508042
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Instructional flight · general aviation rules (Part 91)
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
ACCORDING TO STATEMENTS FROM ALL THREE INDIVIDUALS ON BOARD, UPON ARRIVING IN THE VICINITY OF PASO ROBLES AIRPORT AT ABOUT 5,800 FEET ABOVE THE AIRPORT, THE INSTRUCTOR SHUT DOWN THE ENGINE TO SIMULATE AN ENGINE FAILURE. THE PILOT BEING TRAINED WAS INSTRUCTED TO GLIDE THE AIRCRAFT TO A SAFE LANDING AT THE AIRPORT. DURING THE SIMULATED EMERGENCY DESCENT, THE PILOT BEING TRAINED ASKED SEVERAL TIMES IF THE GEAR SHOULD NOT BE EXTENDED UNTIL THE TURN FROM BASE TO FINAL WAS BEING MADE. THE WITNESSES ABOARD THE AIRCRAFT FURTHER STATED THAT ON SHORT FINAL, AT A VERY LOW ALTITUDE, THE GEAR WAS LOWERED USING THE EMERGENCY GEAR EXTENSION PROCEDURE. THE LEFT MAIN GEAR DID NOT FULLY EXTEND AND LOCK INTO POSITION PRIOR TO THE AIRCRAFT TOUCHING DOWN ON THE RUNWAY. ON TOUCHDOWN, THE LEFT MAIN GEAR COLLAPSED, CAUSING THE LEFT WING TO COLLIDE WITH THE RUNWAY.
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, commercial pilot, private
- Ratings: single-engine land; instrument: airplane; rotorcraft: glider
- Flight time: 11,020 hours in all; 367 in this make and model; 103 in the last 90 days; 33 in the last 30 days; 11,020 as pilot in command; 9,464 on instruments
- Medical certificate: Class 2 (valid medical--w/ waivers/lim.)
- Seat: unk
The aircraft
- Last inspection: inspection type not recorded; 0 hours since
- Maximum gross weight: 4,100 lb
- Seats: 6
- Landing gear: retractable
- Engine: Continental TSIO 520 BE (piston); 0 hours total
- Operator: Piper Aircraft CORP.
The flight
- Departed from: SMX Santa Maria CA at 4:30 pm
- Flight plan: none
- Runway 31, 4,700 ft by 100 ft
- A second pilot was aboard
Weather at the time
- Light: daylight
- Visibility: 10 statute miles
- Sky: clear
- Temperature: 0°F (-18°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.
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.