| Crash location | 40.586389°N, 119.596666°W
Reported location is a long distance from the NTSB's reported nearest city. This often means that the location has a typo, or is incorrect. |
| Nearest city | Gerlach, NV
40.651568°N, 119.355187°W 13.4 miles away |
| Tail number | N7303W |
|---|---|
| Accident date | 02 Sep 2011 |
| Aircraft type | Piper PA-28-180 |
| Additional details: | None |
The pilot stated that he was flying the airplane over a large open desert playa. He decided to land after flying low over the surface to determine if he could make a safe landing. The surface appeared to be flat and dry. Upon touching down, the landing gear dug into the about 8-inch deep soft tufa. The airplane cartwheeled resulting in separation of the left wing and bending and wrinkling the left horizontal stabilizer. The left side of the fuselage, the engine mount, and the firewall were also bent and wrinkled.
The pilot’s decision to land at an unknown off-airport location.