# Accident 20110403006659A: Piper PA-28RT-201, Cherry Valley, CA, April 3, 2011

- Type: FAA accident report (Accident/Incident Data System), as reported
- Date: April 3, 2011, 07:15 local time
- Place: Cherry Valley, CA
- Damage: Destroyed
- Phase of flight: Cruise/Level Flight
- Operating rules: General operating rules (Part 91)
- Location: 33.9822° N, 117.0108° W: From the FAA
- Nearby events: https://openairdocs.org/map.md?lat=33.9822&lon=-117.0108&mi=10
- Aircraft: N355LC, a cancelled registration (https://openairdocs.org/deregistered/N355LC-2011-11-22) (OpenAirDocs)
- Registry model: Piper PA-28RT-201 (registry code 7102818, https://openairdocs.org/model/piper-pa-28rt-201) (OpenAirDocs)
- Registry engine: Lycoming I0360 SER A&C (registry code 41511, https://openairdocs.org/engine/lycoming-i0360-ser-a-c) (OpenAirDocs)
- Reported make and model: PIPER PA-28RT-201
- Reported engine: LYCOMING I0360 SER A&C
- People aboard: 1
- Fatal injuries: 1
- Other injuries: 0
- Pilot certificates: Private pilot
- Pilot flight hours: 2,100 total
- NTSB investigation: [NTSB WPR11FA182](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb/WPR11FA182) (OpenAirDocs)
- FAA source: FAA Aviation Safety Information Portal (https://asip.faa.gov/)
- Page: https://openairdocs.org/incident/20110403006659A

## Narrative

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

WITNESSES REPORT SEEING THE AIRCRAFT FLYING LOW AND IN BETWEEN MOUNTAIN RIDGES. AIRCRAFT RIGHT WING SCRAPED MOUNTAIN RIDGE AND EVENTUALLY CARTWHEEL INTO THE MOUNTAIN. AIRCRAFT EXPLODED ON CONTACT. PILOT WAS THROWN FROM AIRCRAFT WHILE ON FIRE, RESULTING IN DEATH. WEATHER AT THE TIME HAD FOG AND SCATTERED CLOUDS. PILOT WAS FLYING VFR. AIRCRAFT WAS DESTROYED.

## 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 WPR11FA182](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb/WPR11FA182), Apr 3, 2011: Piper PA-28RT (N355LC), Cherry Valley, CA, substantial damage, 1 fatal. Probable cause: The pilot’s continued flight in an area of low ceiling and visibility, which resulted in a collision with mountainous/hilly terrain.

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.

---
OpenAirDocs.org is an independent research project of [Contrail Labs](https://contraillabs.com/). It is not affiliated with the FAA or the NTSB. Source documents are U.S. government works in the public domain.