Accident Details
The pilot was practicing for a commercial pilot check ride. After performing two landings at one airport, he departed to practice additional landings at another airport, which was the accident airport. There, the pilot completed 10 full stop landings. While on approach for another landing, the pilot thought the winds seemed strong and maneuvered for a crosswind landing. On short final, the landing gear clipped the roof of a furniture truck's trailer. The airplane then landed on its belly and came to rest short of the runway.
Witness and Official Reports
According to a responding officer from the Fresno Police Department, the airport was oriented northwest to southeast, with a 4-lane road perpendicular to it. Airplanes have to cross over the road to land. The driver and passenger of the furniture moving truck were traveling westbound at 50 miles per hour when they observed the airplane coming toward them. They reported that the airplane appeared too low to make the runway, but they did not think it unusual. The airplane struck the top forward portion of the truck's trailer.
A Federal Aviation Administration inspector reported that the road is about 200 feet from the approach end of runway 30.
Background Information
A review of the flight school training program revealed that, under the safety rules section, the airport where the accident occurred—Sierra Sky Park Airport, Fresno, California—is considered "off-limits." The flight school operates under 14 Code of Federal Regulations Part 141. In the "how this accident/incident could have been prevented" section of the NTSB Pilot/Operator Aircraft Accident/Incident Report, the pilot stated that if he had flown a higher approach, the accident could have been prevented.