Piper PA-28-235 accident near Truckee, California, August 5, 1996
On August 5, 1996 at about 9:15 pm local time, a Piper PA-28-235, registered N9218W, was substantially damaged in an accident near Truckee, California (Truckee Tahoe 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).
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The NTSB's probable cause their words, unchanged
The pilot's failure to properly compensate for a crosswind component during the go-around in a high density altitude environment that led to a loss of aircraft control..
Source: NTSB aviation accident database, copy made October 4, 2026. Docket and reports at the NTSB.
What the record shows
- Date
- August 5, 1996 · about 9:15 pm local time
- Place
- Truckee, California · Truckee Tahoe
- Type
- Accident
- Injuries
- No one was hurt; 3 people were on board or involved.
- Weather
- visual conditions (good weather)
- Aircraft
- Piper PA-28-235 · all PA-28-235s on the register
- Registration
- N9218W · registry record · serial 28-10883
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Personal flight · general aviation rules (Part 91)
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
Surface winds were from 250 degrees at 13 knots with gusts to 22 knots as the aircraft approached to land on runway 28. The density altitude was 8,150 feet. During the landing flare the left wing of the aircraft rose and the aircraft started drifting toward the right side of the runway. The pilot elected to go-around and applied full throttle. During the go-around, the aircraft drifted off the runway and the right main landing gear contacted a mound of dirt. The aircraft settled back to the ground and spun around 180 degrees. There were no reported 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: 269 hours in all; 82 in this make and model; 68 in the last 90 days; 24 in the last 30 days; 134 as pilot in command
- Medical certificate: Class 3 (valid medical--w/ waivers/lim.)
- Seat: left
The aircraft
- Airframe total time: 2,520 hours
- Last inspection: annual inspection, September 3, 1995; 82 hours since
- Maximum gross weight: 2,900 lb
- Seats: 4
- Landing gear: fixed
- Engine: Lycoming O-540-J3A5D (piston); 0 hours total
The flight
- Departed from: TRK at 8:00 pm
- Flight plan: none
- Runway 28, 7,000 ft by 100 ft
Weather at the time
- Light: daylight
- Wind: from 250° at 13 knots, gusting 22
- Visibility: 30 statute miles
- Sky: clear
- Temperature: 77°F (25°C), dew point 41°F (5°C)
- Altimeter: 30.00 inHg
- Observation at 8:45 pm from TRK
Injuries
| Fatal | Serious | Minor | None | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Crew | 1 | |||
| Passengers | 2 |
About this page
Everything above comes from the NTSB's public accident database: the narrative, probable cause and findings are the NTSB's own words, and the coded tables behind its report (pilot, aircraft, flight, weather, injuries, sequence of events) are written out in plain English. Pilots' ages, home towns and medical details are left out on purpose. The docket at the NTSB holds the report as a PDF and the investigation's photographs and documents. This site never names pilots, passengers or anyone else involved. A preliminary report describes what is known soon after the event and can change; the final report, with the probable cause, usually follows one to two years later and this page is refreshed when it does. Case number LAX96LA297.