Piper PA-20 N7013K

Summary

On 31 May 2010 at about 23:45 local time, a Piper PA-20 registered N7013K was involved in an accident near Nelson, California, United States. 3 people were on board and 3 were seriously injured. The aircraft was substantially damaged. The NTSB has published a probable cause for this accident; it is quoted in full below.

Date

31 May 2010 at 23:45

Classification

Accident

Location

Nelson, California, United States

Nearest airport

PM Dusters Private Airstrip (PVT)

Coordinates

39.5506, -121.8906

Aircraft

Piper PA-20

Registration

N7013K

Category

Airplane

Engines

1

Operator

Not recorded

Operating rule

Part 91: General Aviation

Purpose of flight

Personal

Phase of flight

Not recorded

Route

Chico → Chico

Aircraft damage

Substantial

Weather

VMC

Light

Day

NTSB number

WPR10LA268

3 people were seriously injured.

The pilot's loss of aircraft control during an undetermined phase of flight, which resulted in an aerodynamic stall/spin and subsequent collision with terrain.

Quoted verbatim from the NTSB record. This site does not paraphrase or interpret it.

Read the full NTSB narrative

The purpose of the flight was for the pilot to gain additional flight time towards his commercial pilot certificate; at the time of the accident he had about 50 hours total flight time. The pilot and passengers had no recollection of the circumstances surrounding the accident due to the serious injuries they sustained. The airplane came to rest inverted and semi-submerged in a wet field about five miles from the airplane’s home base. Fuselage crush signatures, damage to the airplane's left wing, and twisting deformation to the tail section were consistent with terrain impact following an aerodynamic stall/spin event. A postimpact examination did not reveal any anomalies with the airframe or engine that would have precluded normal operation.

Quoted verbatim from the NTSB record.