NTSB LAX93LA312 — 1993-07-30 · FRESNO, California, United States

Current FAA registration · N3053N

Make / Model: PIPER PA-28-181
Year of manufacture: 1979 · 14 years old at event
Engine: LYCOMING O&VO-360 SER (180 hp)
Seats / Engines: 4 seats · 1 engine
Last airworthiness date: 19790124
ADS-B equipped: Yes — Mode-S A334B3

Source: FAA Aircraft Registry (releasable master file).

Aircraft involved

N3053N Piper PA-28-181 None

Probable cause & findings

THE PILOT'S INADEQUATE FLARE AND HIS IMPROPER RECOVERY FROM THE RESULTING BOUNCED LANDING. FACTORS RELATED TO THIS ACCIDENT WERE THE ALTERNATOR FAILURE AND THE NIGHT CONDITION.

Factual narrative

THE AIRPLANE EXPERIENCED AN ALTERNATOR FAILURE ABOUT 10 MINUTES FROM THE DESTINATION AIRPORT. THE PILOT WAS CONDUCTING AN INSTRUMENT FLIGHT RULES PERSONAL FLIGHT DURING A BRIGHT NIGHT UNDER VISUAL METEOROLOGICAL CONDITIONS. THE PILOT REQUESTED AND RECEIVED RADAR VECTORS FOR A STRAIGHT IN APPROACH TO THE DESTINATION AIRPORT. THE AIRPLANE LANDED HARD, AND THE NOSE GEAR WAS DAMAGED DURING THE SECOND TOUCHDOWN. Source: NTSB Aviation Accident Database (Pre-2008 Archive) Retrieved: 2026-02-12

Verbatim from NTSB's published report. Source file NTSB_1993_LAX93LA312.txt. Findings + structured fields enriched from FAA avall.mdb. Full investigation docket on data.ntsb.gov ↗.

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