Piper PA-32-300 accident near Gasquet, California, September 25, 1992
On September 25, 1992 at about 10:45 pm local time, a Piper PA-32-300, registered N3410M, was substantially damaged in an accident near Gasquet, California (Ward 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 PILOT FAILED TO RECEIVE AVAILABLE WIND INFORMATION AND SELECTED THE WRONG LANDING RUNWAY. A CONTRIBUTING FACTOR RELATED TO HIS EXPECTING THE LOCAL WIND TO BE COMING FROM THE SAME DIRECTION AS IT HAD BEEN REPORTED AT A NEIGHBORING AIRPORT.
Source: NTSB aviation accident database, copy made October 5, 2026. Docket and reports at the NTSB.
What the record shows
- Date
- September 25, 1992 · about 10:45 pm local time
- Place
- Gasquet, California · Ward · map
- Type
- Accident
- Injuries
- No one was hurt; 2 people were on board or involved.
- Weather
- visual conditions (good weather)
- Aircraft
- Piper PA-32-300 · all PA-32-300s on the register
- Registration
- N3410M · registry record · serial 32-7840064
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Personal flight · general aviation rules (Part 91)
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
THE PILOT REPORTED THAT HE RECEIVED WIND INFORMATION FOR AN AIRPORT NEAR HIS DESTINATION, AND THE WIND WAS REPORTED FROM THE NORTHWEST. UPON ARRIVING AT HIS DESTINATION AIRPORT THE PILOT SAID THAT HE HAD A 'MIND SET FOR RUNWAY 24.' THE PILOT TOUCHED DOWN LONG ON THE RUNWAY. UNABLE TO STOP, THE AIRPLANE OVERRAN THE RUNWAY'S END, COLLIDED WITH ROUGH TERRAIN, A FENCE AND A TREE. THE PILOT FURTHER INDICATED THAT HIS DECISION TO SELECT RUNWAY 24 WAS RELATED TO THE FACT THAT THE WIND SOCK AT THE APPROACH END OF THE RUNWAY WAS LIMP. THE WINDSOCK AT THE DEPARTURE END OF THE RUNWAY INDICATED A 10 KNOT TAILWIND EXISTED.
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: 301 hours in all; 174 in this make and model; 27 in the last 90 days; 7 in the last 30 days; 220 as pilot in command
- Medical certificate: Class 3 (valid medical--w/ waivers/lim.)
- Seat: left
The aircraft
- Airframe total time: 1,895 hours
- Last inspection: annual inspection, September 22, 1992; 4 hours since
- Maximum gross weight: 3,400 lb
- Seats: 6
- Landing gear: fixed
- Engine: Lycoming IO-540-K165 (piston); 0 hours total
The flight
- Departed from: CCR Concord CA at 8:30 pm
- Flight plan: none
- Runway 24, 2,990 ft by 50 ft
Weather at the time
- Light: daylight
- Wind: at 10 knots, gusting 12
- Visibility: 30 statute miles
- Sky: clear
- Temperature: 81°F (27°C), dew point 0°F (-18°C)
- Altimeter: 30.00 inHg
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.
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.