Piper PA-32-301T accident near Auburn, California, December 5, 1992
On December 5, 1992 at about 8:30 pm local time, a Piper PA-32-301T, registered N8339X, was substantially damaged in an accident near Auburn, California (Auburn 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
FAILURE OF THE PILOT TO MAINTAIN DIRECTION CONTROL DURING THE LANDING TOUCHDOWN. CONTRIBUTING TO THE ACCIDENT INADEQUATE MAINTENANCE OF THE RUNWAY SAFETY AREA BY AIRPORT PERSONNEL.
Source: NTSB aviation accident database, copy made October 5, 2026. Docket and reports at the NTSB.
What the record shows
- Date
- December 5, 1992 · about 8:30 pm local time
- Place
- Auburn, California · Auburn · map
- Type
- Accident
- Injuries
- No one was hurt; 4 people were on board or involved.
- Weather
- visual conditions (good weather)
- Aircraft
- Piper PA-32-301T · all PA-32-301Ts on the register
- Registration
- N8339X · registry record · serial 32 8124012
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Personal flight · general aviation rules (Part 91)
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
WHILE LANDING IN A RIGHT CROSSWIND THE PLANE TOUCHED DOWN FIRST ON THE RIGHT MAIN GEAR AND THEN THE LEFT MAIN GEAR. AS THE PILOT LOWERED THE NOSE GEAR THE AIRPLANE VEERED TO THE LEFT AND EXITED THE RUNWAY. THE AIRPLANE CROSSED A DITCH AND CAME TO REST ABOUT 75 FEET LEFT OF CENTERLINE. THE PILOT RECENTLY PURCHASED THE AIRPLANE AND HAD ACCUMULATED A TOTAL OF 5.2 FLIGHT HOURS IN THE SAME MAKE AND MODEL ALL WITHIN THE PREVIOUS 30 DAYS. THE PILOT INDICATED THAT THERE WERE NO MECHANICAL FAILURES OR MALFUNCTIONS. THE DITCH WAS LOCATED IN THE RUNWAY SAFETY AREA. THE RUNWAY SAFETY AREA IS 300 FEET WIDE CENTERED ON THE RUNWAY AND IS SUPPOSED TO ACCOMMODATE THE OCCASIONAL PASSAGE OF AN AIRPLANE WITHOUT CAUSING SUBSTANTIAL DAMAGE.
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: 139 hours in all; 5 in this make and model; 28 in the last 90 days; 10 in the last 30 days; 74 as pilot in command
- Medical certificate: Class 3 (valid medical--no waivers/lim.)
- Seat: unk
The aircraft
- Airframe total time: 1,047 hours
- Last inspection: annual inspection, August 18, 1992; 20 hours since
- Maximum gross weight: 3,600 lb
- Seats: 6
- Landing gear: fixed
- Engine: Lycoming IO-540-S1AD (piston); 0 hours total
The flight
- Flight plan: none
- Runway 7, 3,100 ft by 60 ft
Weather at the time
- Light: daylight
- Wind: from 190° at 6 knots
- Visibility: 7 statute miles
- Sky: scat at 22,000 ft
- Temperature: 54°F (12°C), dew point 41°F (5°C)
- Altimeter: 30.00 inHg
- Observation at 7:55 pm from MHR, 30 miles away
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.