Piper PA-28R-201T accident near Sacramento, California, August 4, 2024
On August 4, 2024 at about 8:15 pm local time, a 1977 Piper PA-28R-201T, registered N135DG, was substantially damaged in an accident during initial climb near Sacramento, California (Mc Clellan Airfield). It was a personal flight under general aviation rules (Part 91). 1 person had minor injuries. The weather was visual conditions (good weather).
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The NTSB's probable cause their words, unchanged
A loss of engine power during the initial climb due to the detachment of the turbocharger’s inlet sleeve as a result of the installation of an incorrect sleeve clamp.
Source: NTSB aviation accident database, copy made October 4, 2026. Docket and reports at the NTSB.
What the record shows
- Date
- August 4, 2024 · about 8:15 pm local time
- Place
- Sacramento, California · Mc Clellan Airfield · map
- Type
- Accident
- Injuries
- 1 person had minor injuries.
- Weather
- visual conditions (good weather)
- Aircraft
- Piper PA-28R-201T, built 1977 · all PA-28R-201Ts on the register
- Registration
- N135DG · registry record · serial 28R-7803122
- 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, shortly after takeoff at an altitude about 500 ft, the engine sputtered, then lost total power. The pilot attempted to restore engine power while turning back to the departure airport. Realizing that he would not reach the airport, the pilot initiated a forced landing onto a golf course, during which the airplane impacted a building and sustained substantial damage. The engine data monitor revealed that the manifold pressure and rpm were 30.5 inches of mercury (inHg) and 2,339 rpm, respectively, when the pilot returned to the airport, about 1.6 nautical miles from the departure end of the runway at an altitude of 691 ft agl. The last recorded data was 29.3 inHg and 148 rpm, recorded at an altitude of 60 ft about 1,280 ft from the accident site. Postaccident examination revealed a disconnected sleeve connecting the air filter cover assembly to the turbocharger inlet. The airplane’s illustrated parts catalog showed that a T-bolt, flat-banded clamp was needed to secure the sleeve to the turbocharger inlet; however, the clamp that had been installed was a lined worm gear clamp. The turbocharger inlet sleeve was reattached with the existing worm gear clamp to facilitate a test run. During the test run, the engine ran for 5 minutes between 1,300 to 1,500 rpm due to impact damage, which precluded operating the engine at higher power settings or at idle. After the engine run, the inlet sleeve was again found disconnected. Review of the airplane’s maintenance logbooks indicated that the turbocharger was removed and reinstalled about 4 years before the accident flight; the entry did not contain information about the hardware used to reinstall the turbocharger. The airplane’s most recent annual inspection was conducted about 4 months and 38 flight hours before the accident flight.
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
- Powerplant sys/comp malf/fail during initial climb defining event
The NTSB's findings
- Personnel issues › Action/decision › Action › Incorrect action performance › Maintenance personnel
- Aircraft › Aircraft power plant › Turbocharging (recip only) › Turbocharger › Incorrect service/maintenance
- Aircraft › Aircraft power plant › Turbocharging (recip only) › (general) › Malfunction
Pilot
- Certificate: private
- Ratings: single-engine land
- Flight time: 130.1 hours in all; 12.2 in this make and model; 42.6 in the last 90 days; 21.1 in the last 30 days; 19.9 as pilot in command
- Last flight review: July 16, 2024
- Medical certificate: Class 3 (with waivers/limitations)
- Seat: left
- Injury: minor injuries
The aircraft
- Airframe total time: 4,026.3 hours
- Last inspection: annual inspection, April 2, 2024; 38 hours since
- Maximum gross weight: 2,900 lb
- Seats: 4
- Landing gear: retractable
- Engine: Continental TSIO-360-EcKB (piston); 4,001 hours total
The flight
- Destination: KHAF Half Moon Bay CA
- Flight plan: none
- Runway 16/3, 10,599 ft by 150 ft
Weather at the time
- Light: daylight
- Visibility: 9 statute miles
- Sky: clear
- Temperature: 91°F (33°C), dew point 54°F (12°C)
- Altimeter: 29.85 inHg
- Observation at 1:15 pm from KMCC, 2 miles away
Weather report (METAR): METAR KMCC 042015Z AUTO VRB05KT 10SM CLR 33/12 A2985 RMK AO2 PWINO=
Injuries
| Fatal | Serious | Minor | None | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Flight crew | 1 |
Documents from the investigation the NTSB's docket: the evidence folder behind the report
10 documents, released by the NTSB on June 10, 2026. 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, 11 pages | View Download |
| 2 | Ipc Excerpt | PDF, 4 pages | View Download |
| 3 | Troubleshooting Excerpt | PDF, 1 page | View Download |
| 4 | Component Exemplar | PDF, 4 pages | View Download |
| 5 | Follow-up Examination Summary | PDF, 10 pages | View Download |
| 6 | Investigation Photos | PDF, 6 pages | View Download |
| 7 | EDM Download Summary Report | PDF, 3 pages | View Download |
| 8 | Device Download | data file | Download |
| 9 | Release of Aircraft Wreckage, NTSB Form 6120.15 | PDF, 2 pages | View Download |
| 10 | Evidence Control Form | PDF, 2 pages | View Download |
The same docket at the NTSB · documents without a copy here are fetched from the NTSB when you open them.
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 WPR24LA267.