# Accident 20170420006609A: Piper PA-22-150, Kernville, CA, April 20, 2017

- Type: FAA accident report (Accident/Incident Data System), as reported
- Date: April 20, 2017, 18:58 local time
- Place: Kernville, CA
- Airport: Kern Valley
- Damage: Substantial damage
- Phase of flight: Takeoff: Climb Out
- Operating rules: General operating rules (Part 91)
- Location: 35.7092° N, 118.4219° W: From the FAA
- Nearby events: https://openairdocs.org/map.md?lat=35.7092&lon=-118.4219&mi=10
- Aircraft: N9975D, a cancelled registration (https://openairdocs.org/deregistered/N9975D-2020-07-10) (OpenAirDocs)
- Registry model: Piper PA-22-150 (registry code 7102210, https://openairdocs.org/model/piper-pa-22-150) (OpenAirDocs)
- Reported make and model: PIPER PA-22-150
- Reported engine: LYCOMING O-360-A4A
- People aboard: 3
- Fatal injuries: 0
- Other injuries: 3
- Pilot certificates: Airline transport, flight instructor
- Pilot flight hours: 3,300 total, 20 in this make and model
- NTSB investigation: [NTSB WPR17LA088](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb/WPR17LA088) (OpenAirDocs)
- FAA source: FAA Aviation Safety Information Portal (https://asip.faa.gov/)
- Page: https://openairdocs.org/incident/20170420006609A

## Narrative

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

ON 04/20/2017, AT APPROXIMATELY 06:58PM LOCAL TIME, AIRCRAFT N9975D TOOK OFF ON RUNWAY 17 AT KERNVILLE AIRPORT (L05) FOR A LOCAL FLIGHT. SHORTLY AFTER TAKEOFF, WHILE ATTEMPTING TO CLIMB OUT, THE AIRCRAFT STOPPED CLIMBING AT APPROXIMATELY SEVENTY FIVE FEET AGL AND SLOWLY STARTED TO SETTLE BACK TOWARDS THE GROUND. THE PILOT WAS UNABLE TO MAINTAIN ALTITUDE, STRUCK A LARGE TREE AND SUBSEQUENTLY IMPACTED THE GROUND. THE AIRCRAFT IMPACTED THE GROUND AT APPROXIMATELY A FORTY FIVE DEGREE NOSE DOWN ANGLE, FLIPPED ONTO ITS BACK AND CAME TO REST INVERTED.  ALL THREE OCCUPANTS EXITED THE AIRCRAFT AND CONTACTED 911 FOR ASSISTANCE.

## 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 WPR17LA088](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb/WPR17LA088), Apr 21, 2017: Piper PA 22-150 (N9975D), Kernville, CA, substantial damage. Probable cause: The pilot’s exceedance of the airplane's critical angle of attack, which resulted in an aerodynamic stall/mush.

## Other reports on N9975D (1)

Matched to the same aircraft by N-number and date.

- [Accident 19830526021929A](https://openairdocs.org/incident/19830526021929A), May 26, 1983: Piper PA22150 (N9975D), Ennis, MT, Substantial damage. Engine quit from lack of oil after oil lines to oil cooler broke. Crash occurred during night emergency landing.

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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