Piper PA-32-300 accident near Birkenfeld, Oregon, July 29, 2000
On July 29, 2000 at about 9:00 pm local time, a Piper PA-32-300, registered N934PH, was substantially damaged in an accident near Birkenfeld, Oregon. 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).
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The NTSB's probable cause their words, unchanged
The pilot's delayed go-around, which resulted in the aircraft not clearing the fence posts. A contributing factor was the fence posts.
Source: NTSB aviation accident database, copy made October 4, 2026. Docket and reports at the NTSB.
What the record shows
- Date
- July 29, 2000 · about 9:00 pm local time
- Place
- Birkenfeld, Oregon · 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
- N934PH · registry record · serial 32-7540059
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Personal flight · general aviation rules (Part 91)
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
The pilot arrived at his destination in the Piper PA-32-300 and found that the landing strip had not been mowed. He then diverted to a nearby 1,650 foot long grass field and set up for an uphill landing to the east. During the final approach and landing he 'allowed the plane to float using too much ground roll for roll out' and aborted the landing. During the initial climbout the aircraft's right main landing gear and left outboard wing underside impacted several fence posts. The right main landing gear wheel and strut separated from the aircraft and impacted the leading edge of the right horizontal stabilator. The pilot was able to continue the climbout, after which he successfully landed the aircraft.
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: 729 hours in all; 7 in this make and model; 5 in the last 90 days; 2 in the last 30 days; 729 as pilot in command
- Medical certificate: Class 2 (valid medical--w/ waivers/lim.)
- Seat: left
The aircraft
- Airframe total time: 5,164 hours
- Last inspection: annual inspection, June 30, 2000; 15 hours since
- Maximum gross weight: 3,200 lb
- Seats: 6
- Landing gear: fixed
- Engine: Lycoming IO-540-K1A5 (piston); 0 hours total
- Operator: Kennewick Aircraft Svcs, INC.
The flight
- Departed from: S98 Kennewick WA at 8:00 pm
- Flight plan: none
- Runway 0, 1,650 ft
Weather at the time
- Light: daylight
- Wind: from 240° at 8 knots
- Visibility: 10 statute miles
- Sky: clear
- Temperature: 73°F (23°C), dew point 64°F (18°C)
- Altimeter: 30.00 inHg
- Observation at 8:56 pm from AST, 29 miles away
Injuries
| Fatal | Serious | Minor | None | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Crew | 1 | |||
| Passengers | 1 |
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 SEA00LA162.