Casualties unknown

1984-03-11: Piper PA-38-112 (N23882) — John Tate — Sonoma, CA

Sonoma, CA, US

On March 11, 1984, a Piper PA-38-112 (registration N23882) operated by John Tate was involved in an aviation accident near Sonoma, CA. This summary draws on records from the U.S. National Transportation Safety Board (NTSB) historical archive.

Sourcesthe U.S. National Transportation Safety Board (NTSB) historical archivePrimary reportUpdated 1781061362Data APIEditorial standards

A student pilot with about 30 hours total time veered left during a touch-and-go landing, causing the aircraft to depart the runway and strike a ditch, resulting in damage.

Background

The student pilot involved in this incident had previously completed his first solo flight on December 4, 1983. At the time of the accident, he had accumulated roughly 30 hours of total flight experience, of which 3.7 hours were logged as solo time. Immediately before the accident flight, the student’s instructor accompanied him on a flight during which they performed four landings.

Sequence of Events

After the instructional flight, the student pilot proceeded on a solo flight with the plan to complete three additional landings. The final landing was a touch-and-go maneuver. According to the report, after the touch-and-go landing, the student retracted the flaps and increased engine power to take off again. Around the same moment, the aircraft began to veer to the left. It then departed the runway surface, continued across the adjacent terrain, and ultimately struck a ditch. The impact with the ditch resulted in damage to the aircraft.

Investigation Notes

The accident investigation report does not specify a probable cause for the incident. No further details regarding weather conditions, air traffic control involvement, or the specific aircraft type were provided in the source material.

Investigation report by the U.S. National Transportation Safety Board (NTSB) historical archive. Original record: https://carol.ntsb.gov/event/20001214X39068. This page is a structured re-presentation; facts and quotes are in the National Transportation Safety Board (NTSB), United States.