North American T-28B accident near Puyallup, Washington, August 12, 2021
On August 12, 2021 at about 9:43 pm local time, a 1955 North American T-28B, registered N392W, was substantially damaged in an accident during landing (landing roll) near Puyallup, Washington (Pierce County - Thun Field). 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
A nose wheel shimmy during the landing roll for reasons that could not be determined from the available evidence, which led to a loss of directional control.
Source: NTSB aviation accident database, copy made November 2, 2026. Docket and reports at the NTSB.
What the record shows
- Date
- August 12, 2021 · about 9:43 pm local time · cases in 2021
- Place
- Puyallup, Washington · Pierce County - Thun Field · cases near this airport · map
- Type
- Accident
- Injuries
- No one was hurt; 1 person was on board or involved.
- Weather
- visual conditions (good weather)
- Aircraft
- North American T-28B, built 1955 · all T-28Bs on the register
- Registration
- N392W · registry record · serial 138314
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Personal flight · general aviation rules (Part 91)
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
The pilot reported that, after touchdown the nose wheel started to shimmy, and he was not able to steer the airplane. The airplane veered to the left side of the runway as the pilot continued to try and steer away from the edge of the runway using the right brake. When the left main landing gear wheel went off the edge of the runway, he initiated the emergency procedures to retract the landing gear, shut down the engine and open the canopy. Examination of the wreckage revealed that the nose wheel steering components and the hydraulic shimmy damper appeared to remain intact and attached to their respective mounts. The shimmy damper piston rod was actuated by hand and found to compress and extend normally. No hydraulic fluid leaks were observed on the damper. No evidence of a pre-accident mechanical failure or malfunction was revealed that would have precluded normal operation. The reason for the nose wheel shimmy could not be determined from available evidence.
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
- Loss of control on ground during landing (landing roll) defining event
The NTSB's findings
- Not determined › Not determined › (general) › (general) › Unknown/Not determined
- Aircraft › Aircraft oper/perf/capability › Performance/control parameters › Directional control › Unknown/Not determined
- Aircraft › Aircraft systems › Landing gear system › Shimmy damper › Unknown/Not determined other cases naming the landing gear
Pilot
- Certificate: commercial pilot
- Ratings: multi-engine land; single-engine land; instrument: airplane
- Flight time: 2,700 hours in all; 560 in this make and model; 32 in the last 90 days; 4 in the last 30 days; 1,500 as pilot in command
- Last flight review: June 19, 2020
- Medical certificate: Class 3 (with waivers/limitations)
- Seat: frt
- Injury: no injuries
The aircraft
- Airframe total time: 8,683 hours
- Last inspection: condition inspection, September 21, 2020; 49 hours since
- Seats: 2
- Landing gear: retractable
- Engine: Curtis Wright R-1820-86 (piston); 0 hours total
- Fire on the ground
- Operator: Buno 138314 LLC
The flight
- Departed from: TKE Truckee CA at 12:15 pm
- Flight plan: none
- Runway 35, 3,651 ft by 60 ft
Weather at the time
- Light: daylight
- Visibility: 10 statute miles
- Sky: clear
- Temperature: 0°F (-18°C), dew point 0°F (-18°C)
- Observation at 2:30 pm from PLU
Injuries
| Fatal | Serious | Minor | None | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Flight crew | 1 |
Photographs from the investigation 1 picture from the NTSB's docket, as the NTSB released them
The NTSB's photographs with the NTSB's captions, at screen size. Open a picture to see it full size or to report one that should not be shown.
Documents from the investigation the NTSB's docket: the evidence folder behind the report
5 documents, released by the NTSB on January 11, 2023. View them here, or download them; the NTSB redacts some personal details before release, and this site shows the NTSB's own titles rather than its file names.
| # | Document | What it is | |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Pilot/operator Aircraft Accident Report, NTSB Form 6120.1 | PDF, 9 pages | View Download |
| 2 | Airframe Examination Report | PDF, 3 pages | View Download |
| 3 | Release of Aircraft Wreckage, NTSB Form 6120.15 | PDF, 1 page | View Download |
| 4 | Accident Video | MOV file | Download |
| 5 | Photo | PDF, 1 page · our copy | View Download |
The same docket at the NTSB · documents without a copy here are fetched from the NTSB when you open them.
Connections how this case links to the rest of the register
- N392W on the register today · the tail number may have moved to another aircraft since
- North American T-28 206 registered today · the model family and its accident history
- North American 1,297 aircraft on the register
- Engine: Curtis Wright R-1820-86 · as the NTSB recorded it
- Pierce County/Thun Field · nearest airport
- Tenakee Seaplane Base · departed from
- Accidents and incidents in Washington 2,713 since 1982 · 361 in the last ten years
- Washington 10,662 aircraft registered
The whole map of how records connect · these connections as data: /graph/accident/WPR21LA318.json.
The bigger picture in Aviation Analytics: accidents over time since 1982, by model, by phase of flight and conditions, by place and on the map.
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 does not name anyone involved, its policy at this time. A preliminary report can change; the final report usually follows one to two years later, and the page is refreshed when it does.