Piper PA-28RT-201T accident near Placerville, California, December 20, 2024
On December 20, 2024, a 1979 Piper PA-28RT-201T, registered N29247, was substantially damaged in an accident during landing near Placerville, California (Placerville 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 failure to maintain an adequate descent rate during the landing approach, which resulted in an impact with terrain short of the runway threshold.
Source: NTSB aviation accident database, copy made October 5, 2026. Docket and reports at the NTSB.
What the record shows
- Date
- December 20, 2024
- Place
- Placerville, California · Placerville · map
- Type
- Accident
- Injuries
- No one was hurt; 1 person was on board or involved.
- Weather
- visual conditions (good weather)
- Aircraft
- Piper PA-28RT-201T, built 1979 · all PA-28RT-201Ts on the register
- Registration
- N29247 · registry record · serial 28R-7931195
- 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 while on approach for landing, the visual approach slope indicator showed that he was above the glide slope. He deployed flaps to descend and re-intercept the glide slope. After the pilot noticed that he was a little low he added power to arrest the descent rate. However, the landing gear impacted a berm about 90 feet from the runway approach threshold, which resulted in substantial damage to both wings. The pilot reported that the airplane had no preimpact mechanical malfunctions or failures that would have precluded normal operation.
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 undershoot during landing defining event
The NTSB's findings
- Personnel issues › Task performance › Use of equip/info › Aircraft control › Pilot
- Aircraft › Aircraft oper/perf/capability › Performance/control parameters › Descent rate › Not attained/maintained
- Aircraft › Aircraft oper/perf/capability › Performance/control parameters › Airspeed › Not attained/maintained
- Environmental issues › Physical environment › Terrain › Sloped/uneven terrain › Contributed to outcome
Pilot
- Certificate: commercial pilot, private
- Ratings: multi-engine land; single-engine land; instrument: airplane; rotorcraft: glider
- Flight time: 1,505 hours in all; 29 in this make and model; 1 in the last 90 days; 1 in the last 30 days; 1,317 as pilot in command; 473 on instruments
- Last flight review: March 25, 2023
- Medical certificate: Class 3 (with waivers/limitations)
- Seat: left
- Injury: no injuries
The aircraft
- Airframe total time: 4,380 hours
- Last inspection: annual inspection, January 2, 2024; 8 hours since
- Seats: 4
- Landing gear: retractable
- Engine: Continental TSIO-360 (piston); 1,875 hours total
The flight
- Flight plan: none
- Runway 05/2, 3,914 ft by 76 ft
Weather at the time
- Light: daylight
- Visibility: 10 statute miles
- Sky: clear
- Temperature: 63°F (17°C), dew point 27°F (-3°C)
- Altimeter: 30.16 inHg
- Observation at 4:15 pm from KPVF
Weather report (METAR): KPVF 200015Z AUTO 00000KT 10SM CLR 17/M03 A3016 RMK AO1
Injuries
| Fatal | Serious | Minor | None | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Flight crew | 1 |
Photographs from the investigation 4 pictures from the NTSB's docket, as the NTSB released them
Photograph 1 – Accident site, airplane right side view.
Photograph 2 – Airplane recovery photo of the left wing.
Photograph 3 – Airplane recovery photo of the right wing.
Photograph 4 – Accident site, terrain impact marks.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
2 documents, released by the NTSB on April 22, 2025. 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 | Photo Array-courtesy of the FAA and Airport Ops | PDF, 5 pages · our copy | View Download |
The same docket at the NTSB · documents without a copy here are fetched from the NTSB when you open them.
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.