Piper PA 28R-180 accident near Henderson, Nevada, June 29, 2007
On June 29, 2007 at about 10:30 pm local time, a Piper PA 28R-180, registered N4KE, was substantially damaged in an accident near Henderson, Nevada (Henderson Exec 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
The pilot's failure to maintain control of the airplane during the attempted go-around, which resulted in a hard landing. A contributing factor was the crosswind.
Source: NTSB aviation accident database, copy made October 5, 2026. Docket and reports at the NTSB.
What the record shows
- Date
- June 29, 2007 · about 10:30 pm local time
- Place
- Henderson, Nevada · Henderson Exec · map
- Type
- Accident
- Injuries
- No one was hurt; 4 people were on board or involved.
- Weather
- visual conditions (good weather)
- Aircraft
- Piper PA 28R-180 · all PA 28R-180s on the register
- Registration
- N4KE · registry record · serial 28R-30828
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Personal flight · general aviation rules (Part 91)
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
The pilot stated that he was landing on runway 17R and while on final, he noticed that the wind was pushing the airplane to the left of the runway. The pilot proceeded to the runway, maintaining its centerline. He then contacted the air traffic control tower controller to verify the winds and the controller indicated that the winds were greater than those reported on the automated surface observation system (ASOS). The pilot increased the power to compensate for the winds. The main landing gear touched down left of centerline and the airplane bounced. The pilot then told the controller that he was initiating a go-around. As the airplane began to lift, the pilot felt a gust of wind push the airplane down and just prior to ground impact, the pilot attempted to flare the airplane. The airplane skidded before coming to a stop, and the wings and fuselage sustained substantial damage. The ASOS was reporting winds from 240 degrees at 12 knots. Winds taken by the tower at the time of the accident were from 220 at 15 knots. The pilot stated that there were no mechanical malfunctions.
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: 153 hours in all; 19 in this make and model; 56 in the last 90 days; 41 in the last 30 days
- Medical certificate: Class 3
The aircraft
- Landing gear: retractable
- Engine: Textron Lycoming IO-360-B1F (piston); 0 hours total
The flight
- Departed from: VNY Van Nuys CA
- Destination: HND Henderson NV
- Flight plan: none
- Runway 17R, 6,501 ft by 100 ft
Weather at the time
- Light: daylight
- Wind: from 240° at 12 knots
- Visibility: 10 statute miles
- Sky: clear
- Temperature: 108°F (42°C), dew point 14°F (-10°C)
- Altimeter: 29.87 inHg
- Observation at 8:56 pm from HND
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.
Other NTSB records under N4KE 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.