Piper PA-24-260 accident near Spokane, Washington, July 26, 1992
On July 26, 1992 at about 11:11 pm local time, a Piper PA-24-260, registered N139CA, was substantially damaged in an accident near Spokane, Washington (Spokane International 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 PREMATURE LANDING FLARE BY THE RECENTLY CERTIFICATED PRIVATE PILOT, AND HER FAILURE TO PROPERLY RECOVER FROM THE BOUNCED LANDING. A FACTOR RELATING TO THE ACCIDENT WAS THE GUSTY WIND CONDITIONS.
Source: NTSB aviation accident database, copy made October 5, 2026. Docket and reports at the NTSB.
What the record shows
- Date
- July 26, 1992 · about 11:11 pm local time
- Place
- Spokane, Washington · Spokane International · map
- Type
- Accident
- Injuries
- No one was hurt; 4 people were on board or involved.
- Weather
- visual conditions (good weather)
- Aircraft
- Piper PA-24-260 · all PA-24-260s on the register
- Registration
- N139CA · registry record · serial 24-4570
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Personal flight · general aviation rules (Part 91)
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
THE ACFT LANDED HARD, BOUNCED, SWERVED OFF THE RUNWAY, AND IMPACTED TERRAIN. THE WIND WAS REPORTED AS 14 GUSTING TO 22 KNOTS. THE PILOT WAS CERTIFICATED ON 10/23/91 AND HAD 15 HOURS TOTAL FLT TIME AS PIC IN THE PA24 ACFT. THE PILOT RATED PASSENGER, SEATED IN THE RIGHT SEAT, WHO HAD 544 HOURS FLT TIME AND 362 HOURS PIC TIME IN THE PIPER PA24 ACFT, TOOK NO CORRECTIVE ACTION DURING THE ACCIDENT.
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: 110 hours in all; 38 in this make and model; 23 in the last 90 days; 10 in the last 30 days; 67 as pilot in command
- Medical certificate: Class 3 (valid medical--no waivers/lim.)
- Seat: left
The aircraft
- Airframe total time: 5,238 hours
- Last inspection: annual inspection, August 2, 1991; 130 hours since
- Maximum gross weight: 3,100 lb
- Seats: 4
- Landing gear: retractable
- Engine: Lycoming IO-540-D4A5 (piston); 0 hours total
The flight
- Departed from: 3S2 Aurora OR at 9:30 pm
- Flight plan: none
- Runway 21, 9,000 ft by 150 ft
- A second pilot was aboard
Weather at the time
- Light: daylight
- Wind: from 240° at 14 knots, gusting 22
- Visibility: 30 statute miles
- Sky: scat at 25,000 ft
- Temperature: 88°F (31°C), dew point 37°F (3°C)
- Altimeter: 30.00 inHg
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.
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 documents and photographs are the NTSB's docket, the folder of records gathered during the investigation, shown as the NTSB released them (the NTSB redacts some personal details first) and listed under the NTSB's own titles. This site's own text 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 SEA92LA165.