# Accident 20030221003009A: Piper PA30, Nipomo, CA, February 21, 2003

- Type: FAA accident report (Accident/Incident Data System), as reported
- Date: February 21, 2003, 17:57 local time
- Place: Nipomo, CA
- Damage: Destroyed
- Phase of flight: Maneuver
- Operating rules: General operating rules (Part 91)
- Location: 34.9847° N, 120.5669° W: From the FAA
- Nearby events: https://openairdocs.org/map.md?lat=34.9847&lon=-120.5669&mi=10
- Aircraft: N9YB, a cancelled registration (https://openairdocs.org/deregistered/N9YB-2018-01-24) (OpenAirDocs)
- Registry model: Piper PA-30 (registry code 7103002, https://openairdocs.org/model/piper-pa-30) (OpenAirDocs)
- Registry engine: Lycoming IO-320 series (registry code 41509, https://openairdocs.org/engine/lycoming-io-320-series) (OpenAirDocs)
- Reported make and model: PIPER PA30
- Reported engine: LYC IO320*
- People aboard: 2
- Fatal injuries: 2
- Pilot flight hours: 0 total, 0 in this make and model, 0 in the last 90 days
- NTSB investigation: [NTSB LAX03FA093](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb/LAX03FA093) (OpenAirDocs)
- FAA source: FAA Aviation Safety Information Portal (https://asip.faa.gov/)
- Page: https://openairdocs.org/incident/20030221003009A

## Narrative

As the FAA filed it, in capitals; the FAA replaces private details with ^PRIVACY DATA OMITTED^.

(-23) OT APPROXIMATELY 1800 LOCAL TIME ON FRIDAY, FEBRUARY 21, 2003, WITNESSES OBSERVED PIPER N9YB, A PA-30, DESCEND VERTICALLY AT HIGH SPEED AND IMPACT IN A CABBAGE FIELD ABOUT EIGHT MILES NORTHWEST OF THE SANTA MARIA, CA AIRPORT. THE LEFT SEAT WAS OCCUPIED BY THE AIRCRAFT OWNER, A CAPTAIN FOR FEDERAL EXPRESS. THE RIGHT FRONT SEAT WAS OCCUPIED BY A COMMERCIAL PILOT WHO WAS ALSO BASED AT SANTA MARIA. BOTH OCCUPANTS WERE FATALLY INJURED AND THE AIRPLANE WAS DESTROYED. VERY LITTLE PHYSICAL EVIDENCE REMAINED AT THE ACCIDENT SITE WHICH MIGHT LEAD TO THE CAUSE OF THE ACCIDENT, AND THE FAMILY OF THE AIRCRAFT OWNER REFUSED TO RELEASE EITHER THE AIRCRAFT MAINTENANCE RECORDS OR THE PILOT LOGBOOK OF THE OWNER. THE PURPOSE OF THE FLIGHT IS UNKNOWN, AND IT IS ASSUMED THE TWO PILOTS, WHO WERE HANGAR NEIGHBORS, WERE ON A LOCAL PLEASURE FLIGHT.

## The NTSB's investigation of this event (1)

From the NTSB's public API. Aircraft are matched to registry aircraft by N-number and event date, checked against the reported serial number, make and model; the registry's history has gaps, so older matches can be wrong. Compare the reported make and model.

- [NTSB LAX03FA093](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb/LAX03FA093), Feb 22, 2003: Piper PA-30 (N9YB), Nipomo, CA, substantial damage, 2 fatal. Probable cause: the flying pilot's failure to maintain an adequate airspeed that resulted in a stall/spin.

From the FAA Accident/Incident Data System. Reports are matched to registry aircraft by N-number and event date, checked against the reported make and model; the registry's history has gaps, so older matches can be wrong. Compare the reported make and model. For accidents, the NTSB's own investigation is the fuller record.

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