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LAX92LA023

1991-10-27 · CHIRIACO SUMMIT, California, United States · Minor · 1 aircraft · Status: Completed

Airport L77

N3771K has since been reassigned. It is now registered to a different aircraft (BOEING 737-832, built 2002), which was not involved in this event.

Aircraft involved

Probable cause & findings

THE DELAYED ACTIONS OF THE PILOT-IN-COMMAND IN SELECTING A GO-AROUND ND SUBSEQUENT LOSS OF DIRECTIONAL CONTROL WHICH RESULTED IN THE AIRPLANE DRIFTING OFF THE RUNWAY CENTERLINE AND COLLIDING WITH TERRAIN. CONTRIBUTING TO THE ACCIDENT WAS FAILURE OF THE PILOT TO COMPENSATE FOR WIND CONDITIONS.

Factual narrative

A PIPER PA 28-140 COLLIDED WITH TERRAIN AFTER A LOSS OF CONTROL WHILE LANDING ON RUNWAY 24. THERE WAS A SLIGHT CROSSWIND DURING THE LANDING ATTEMPT. THE PILOT ESTIMATED THE WIND CONDITIONS TO BE FROM 300 DEGREES AT 10 KNOTS. DURING THE FINAL APPROACH AND LANDING FLARE THE NOSE OF THE AIRPLANE WEATHER VANED INTO THE WIND. THE PILOT ELECTED TO GO-AROUND AND LOST DIRECTIONAL CONTROL. THE AIRPLANE TOUCHED DOWN ON THE LET SHOULDER OF THE RUNWAY AND BOUNCED. THE AIRPLAANE ROLLED OUT IN SANDY TERRAIN COLLAPSING THE NOSE GEAR AND DAMAGING THE WINGS. THE PILOT INDICATED THERE WERE NO MECHANICAL FALURES OR MALFUNCTIONS WITH THE AIRPLANE BEFORE THE ACCIDENT. Source: NTSB Aviation Accident Database (Pre-2008 Archive) Retrieved: 2026-02-12

Verbatim from NTSB's published report. Source file NTSB_1991_LAX92LA023.txt. Findings + structured fields enriched from FAA avall.mdb. Full investigation docket on data.ntsb.gov ↗.

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Related research

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