Piper PA-28R-200 accident near Fallbrook, California, February 28, 2009
On February 28, 2009 at about 6:00 pm local time, a Piper PA-28R-200, registered N4290T, was substantially damaged in an accident during landing (landing roll) near Fallbrook, California (Fallbrook Community Airport). It was a personal flight under general aviation rules (Part 91). No one was hurt; 1 person was on board or involved. The weather was visual conditions (good weather).
The NTSB's probable cause their words, unchanged
The pilot's improper use of the brakes and his failure to maintain control of the airplane during landing rollout.
Source: NTSB aviation accident database, copy made October 5, 2026. Docket and reports at the NTSB.
What the record shows
- Date
- February 28, 2009 · about 6:00 pm local time
- Place
- Fallbrook, California · Fallbrook Community Airport · map
- Type
- Accident
- Injuries
- No one was hurt; 1 person was on board or involved.
- Weather
- visual conditions (good weather)
- Aircraft
- Piper PA-28R-200 · all PA-28R-200s on the register
- Registration
- N4290T · no longer on the register · serial 28R-7235003
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Personal flight · general aviation rules (Part 91)
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
According to the pilot, he arrived from the northeast and entered the extended right base leg for Runway 18, a 2,160-foot-long asphalt runway. The winds were reported as 3 knots from the south. Prior to being established on the base leg, he had set full flaps and lowered the landing gear. He said that by the time he turned onto final, the airplane "may have seemed slightly high, speed was good and descent rate appeared good." He further stated that while he landed the airplane on the first half of the runway, he perhaps floated a little bit and that "the landing was a little further than I anticipated." The landing rollout was good until he reached "a slight mound in the runway" that created an optical illusion of the runway's end being closer than it was. He then locked the brakes and skidded off the runway into the brush.
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
What happened, in order
- Landing area overshoot during landing
- Runway excursion during landing (landing roll) defining event
The NTSB's findings
- cause Aircraft › Aircraft oper/perf/capability › Performance/control parameters › Surface speed/braking › Incorrect use/operation
- cause Aircraft › Aircraft oper/perf/capability › Performance/control parameters › (general) › Not attained/maintained
- cause Personnel issues › Task performance › Use of equip/info › Aircraft control › Pilot
Pilot
- Certificate: private
- Ratings: single-engine land; instrument: airplane
- Flight time: 601 hours in all; 250 in this make and model; 24 in the last 90 days
- Last flight review: November 7, 2007
- Medical certificate: Class 3 (without waivers/limitations)
- Seat: left
- Injury: no injuries
The aircraft
- Last inspection: inspection type not recorded
- Maximum gross weight: 2,660 lb
- Seats: 4
- Landing gear: fixed
- Engine: Lycoming IO-360 (piston); 0 hours total
- Operator: M.Y. Air Corp
The flight
- Departed from: REI Redlands CA at 5:30 pm
- Destination: L18 Fallbrook CA
- Flight plan: none
- Runway 18, 2,160 ft by 60 ft
Weather at the time
- Light: daylight
- Wind: from 180° at 3 knots
- Visibility: 10 statute miles
- Sky: clear
- Temperature: 0°F (-18°C), dew point 0°F (-18°C)
Injuries
| Fatal | Serious | Minor | None | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Flight crew | 1 |
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.
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.