Piper PA-32-301 accident near Truckee, California, January 28, 1994
On January 28, 1994 at about 4:36 pm local time, a Piper PA-32-301, registered N82009, was substantially damaged in an accident near Truckee, California (Truckee-Tahoe airport). It was a personal flight under general aviation rules (Part 91). 6 people had minor injuries. The weather was visual conditions (good weather).
The NTSB's probable cause their words, unchanged
THE PILOT'S FAILURE TO MAINTAIN DIRECTIONAL CONTROL, DELAY IN HIS REMEDIAL ACTION, AND FAILURE TO RAISE THE FLAPS. THE SNOW COVERED RUNWAY WAS A FACTOR IN THIS ACCIDENT.
Source: NTSB aviation accident database, copy made October 5, 2026. Docket and reports at the NTSB.
What the record shows
- Date
- January 28, 1994 · about 4:36 pm local time
- Place
- Truckee, California · Truckee-Tahoe · map
- Type
- Accident
- Injuries
- 6 people had minor injuries.
- Weather
- visual conditions (good weather)
- Aircraft
- Piper PA-32-301 · all PA-32-301s on the register
- Registration
- N82009 · registry record · serial 32-8206033
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Personal flight · general aviation rules (Part 91)
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
THE PILOT WAS LANDING ON A RUNWAY COVERED BY A THIN LAYER OF SNOW. ON TOUCHDOWN THE AIRPLANE VEERED TO THE LEFT. AFTER THE AIRPLANE DEPARTED THE RUNWAY THE PILOT APPLIED FULL POWER TO GO-AROUND. THE AIRPLANE BECAME AIRBORNE, BUT WOULD NOT CLIMB AS THE PILOT FAILED TO RETRACT THE FLAPS. THE AIRPLANE CONTINUED TO THE LEFT UNTIL IT STRUCK A FUEL ISLAND. A PASSENGER REPORTED THAT THE ENGINE SOUNDED NORMAL SIMILAR TO THE SOUND THAT IT MADE WHEN THE FLIGHT DEPARTED.
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; instrument: airplane
- Flight time: 788 hours in all; 477 in this make and model; 77 in the last 90 days; 27 in the last 30 days; 635 as pilot in command
- Medical certificate: Class 2 (valid medical--no waivers/lim.)
- Seat: left
The aircraft
- Airframe total time: 4,193 hours
- Last inspection: annual inspection, April 1, 1993; 100 hours since
- Maximum gross weight: 3,600 lb
- Seats: 6
- Landing gear: fixed
- Engine: Lycoming IO-540-K1G (piston); 0 hours total
The flight
- Departed from: SJC San Jose CA at 3:20 pm
- Flight plan: VFR
- Runway 28, 7,000 ft by 100 ft
Weather at the time
- Light: daylight
- Visibility: 30 statute miles
- Sky: scat at 2,500 ft
- Temperature: 18°F (-8°C), dew point 10°F (-12°C)
- Altimeter: 30.00 inHg
- Observation at 4:45 pm from TRK
Injuries
| Fatal | Serious | Minor | None | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Crew | 1 | |||
| Passengers | 5 |
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.
Other NTSB records under N82009 the same tail number, which may have belonged to a different aircraft at the time
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.