# NTSB investigations: Piper PA-30: Loss of control in flight

NTSB aviation accident and incident investigations since 1962: the probable cause, findings, aircraft, crew, weather and docket of each, linked to the FAA registry and the FAA’s own reports.

## Latest cases

- [NTSB CEN26FA064](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb/CEN26FA064.md): Piper PA-30 · West Chicago, IL · Accident · 2 fatal · Class 3 · Field · Preliminary report · Dec 17, 2025 · N8693Y · Substantial damage
  > On December 17, 2025, about 1349 central standard time, a Piper PA-30 airplane, N8693Y, was substantially damaged when it was involved in an accident near West Chicago, Illinois. The pilot and pilot-rated passenger were fatally injured. The airplane was…
- [NTSB CEN23FA284](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb/CEN23FA284.md): Piper PA-30 · Sherman, TX · Accident · 1 fatal · Class 3 · Field · Final report · Jul 8, 2023 · N4743M · Substantial damage
  > The pilot’s failure to maintain control during a forced landing following a loss of engine power. Contributing was the pilot’s failure to feather the left propeller following the loss of engine power.
- [NTSB ERA23FA270](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb/ERA23FA270.md): Piper PA-30 · Ebensburg, PA · Accident · 2 fatal · Class 3 · Field · Final report · Jun 17, 2023 · N7628Y · Destroyed
  > The pilot’s spatial disorientation and subsequent loss of airplane control, which resulted in an uncontrolled descent and collision with terrain.
- [NTSB ERA23FA067](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb/ERA23FA067.md): Piper PA-30 · Winston-Salem, NC · Accident · 2 fatal · Class 3 · Field · Final report · Nov 19, 2022 · N7295Y · Substantial damage
  > Contamination and/or misalignment of the regulator section of the right engine’s fuel servo, which resulted in excessive idle fuel flow and a total loss of engine power. Also causal was the pilot's failure to land immediately on the nearest runway at the…
- [NTSB WPR23LA013](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb/WPR23LA013.md): Piper PA-30 · Tucson, AZ · Accident · No injuries · Class 3 · Limited · Final report · Oct 15, 2022 · N7746Y · Substantial damage
  > The pilot’s loss of control during landing for reasons that could not be determined based on the available evidence.
- [NTSB CEN22FA145](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb/CEN22FA145.md): Piper PA-30 · Pond Creek, OK · Accident · 3 fatal · Class 3 · Field · Final report · Mar 17, 2022 · N8357Y · Destroyed
  > The pilot’s loss of control of the airplane, resulting in an in-flight breakup.
- [NTSB WPR21LA179](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb/WPR21LA179.md): Piper PA-30B · Corvallis, OR · Accident · No injuries · Class 4 · Limited · Final report · Apr 29, 2021 · N125RJ · Substantial damage
  > The pilot’s failure to maintain airplane control during a simulated engine out landing which resulted in impact with terrain.
- [NTSB ERA20LA272](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb/ERA20LA272.md): Piper PA 30 · Alabaster, AL · Accident · No injuries · Class 3 · Limited · Final report · Aug 2, 2020 · N7750Y · Substantial damage
  > A loss of control and lack of climb performance shortly after takeoff for reasons that could not be determined based on available evidence, resulting in a collision with terrain.
- [NTSB CEN19FA035](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb/CEN19FA035.md): Piper PA 30 · Marion, IN · Accident · 1 fatal · Field investigation · Final report · Nov 29, 2018 · N7751Y · Destroyed
  > The pilot's exceedance of the airplane's critical angle of attack following a loss of the left engine power shortly after takeoff, which resulted in an aerodynamic stall at an altitude too low for recovery. Contributing to the accident was the loss of left…
- [NTSB CEN17FA297](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb/CEN17FA297.md): Piper PA30 · Topeka, KS · Accident · 2 fatal · Field investigation · Final report · Aug 1, 2017 · N22HW · Destroyed
  > The failure of the pilot and flight instructor to maintain aircraft control while maneuvering in the traffic pattern.
- [NTSB WPR17FA108](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb/WPR17FA108.md): Piper PA 30 · Haines, AK · Accident · 2 fatal · Field investigation · Final report · May 27, 2017 · N7376Y · Substantial damage
  > The pilot's decision to turn toward the inoperative engine after conducting a low-level pass, which resulted in an aerodynamic stall at too low an altitude to recover. Contributing to the accident was the pilot's decision to perform the flight and the engine…
- [NTSB CEN16FA276](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb/CEN16FA276.md): Piper PA 30 · Plainfield, IL · Accident · 1 fatal · Field investigation · Final report · Jul 21, 2016 · N7409Y · Destroyed
  > The pilot's failure to maintain airplane control during an en route climb near convective activity, which resulted in an aerodynamic stall, an uncontrolled descent, and a subsequent in-flight breakup due to an exceedance of the airplane's design load…
- [NTSB ERA15FA378](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb/ERA15FA378.md): Piper PA 30 · St. Petersburg, FL · Accident · 1 fatal · Field investigation · Final report · Sep 30, 2015 · N21ND · Substantial damage
  > The pilot's failure to maintain single-engine minimum controllable airspeed following a loss of right engine power during initial climb. Also causal was the loss of right engine power for reasons that could not be determined because examination of the…
- [NTSB CEN15LA357](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb/CEN15LA357.md): Piper PA 30 · Clifton, TX · Accident · Minor injuries · Limited investigation · Final report · Jul 13, 2015 · N7768Y · Destroyed
  > The pilot's failure to maintain control during a precautionary landing following a total loss of power to one engine. The reason for the loss of engine power could not be determined based on available information.
- [NTSB ERA14FA077](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb/ERA14FA077.md): Piper PA-30 · Biglerville, PA · Accident · 2 fatal · Field investigation · Final report · Dec 26, 2013 · N8372Y · Destroyed
  > The noninstrument-rated pilot's spatial disorientation after inadvertently encountering instrument meteorological conditions at night and his subsequent loss of airplane control.
- [NTSB CEN13FA432](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb/CEN13FA432.md): Piper PA-30 · Amarillo, TX · Accident · 1 fatal · Field investigation · Final report · Jul 25, 2013 · N8306Y · Substantial damage
  > The pilot’s failure to maintain airplane control after a loss of left engine power due to water-contaminated fuel. Contributing to the accident was the lack of a proper preflight that could have detected water accumulation in the fuel system before takeoff.
- [NTSB WPR13FA281](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb/WPR13FA281.md): Piper PA-30 · Idaho Falls, ID · Accident · 2 fatal · Field investigation · Final report · Jun 22, 2013 · N830SS · Substantial damage
  > A loss of power to the right engine during the initial climb due to fuel contamination and the pilot's failure to maintain adequate airspeed and airplane control. Contributing to the accident was the pilot's inadequate preflight check of the airplane.
- [NTSB CEN13LA361](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb/CEN13LA361.md): Piper PA-30 · Dayton, OH · Accident · No injuries · Limited investigation · Final report · Jun 20, 2013 · N7017Y · Substantial damage
  > The pilot’s loss of control of the airplane for reasons that could not be undetermined because a postaccident examination of the airplane did not reveal any anomalies that would have precluded normal operation.
- [NTSB WPR13CA164](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb/WPR13CA164.md): Piper PA-30 · Fullerton, CA · Accident · No injuries · Data collection · Final report · Mar 23, 2013 · N7497Y · Substantial damage
  > The pilot receiving instruction’s failure to maintain airplane control during takeoff and the flight instructor’s delayed remedial action.
- [NTSB CEN11LA364](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb/CEN11LA364.md): Piper PA30 · Phillipsburg, OH · Accident · Minor injuries · Limited investigation · Final report · May 21, 2011 · N7248Y · Substantial damage
  > The pilot’s failure to maintain directional control during takeoff following a loss of left engine power for undetermined reasons.
- [NTSB WPR11LA113](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb/WPR11LA113.md): Piper PA-30 · Big Bear City, CA · Accident · Serious injuries · Limited investigation · Final report · Jan 30, 2011 · N64RJ · Substantial damage
  > The pilot’s failure to maintain the minimum single-engine control speed while on final approach for landing. Contributing to the accident was the pilot's decision to fly with a known deficiency in one engine and a loss of power in that engine for reasons that…
- [NTSB CEN10FA122](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb/CEN10FA122.md): Piper PA-30 · Amarillo, TX · Accident · 2 fatal · Field investigation · Final report · Feb 17, 2010 · N8501Y · Substantial damage
  > The pilot’s failure to detect water contaminated fuel, which resulted in a loss of engine power shortly after takeoff. Contributing to the accident were the worn and loose fuel caps, which allowed water to enter the fuel tanks.
- [NTSB WPR09LA324](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb/WPR09LA324.md): Piper PA-30 · Tucson, AZ · Accident · Serious injuries · Limited investigation · Final report · Jul 3, 2009 · N7657Y · Substantial damage
  > The pilot’s failure to maintain directional and lateral aircraft control during takeoff. Contributing to the accident was the partial loss of left engine power for undetermined reasons.
- [NTSB ERA09LA158](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb/ERA09LA158.md): Piper PA-30 · Lakeville, NY · Accident · No injuries · Limited investigation · Final report · Feb 8, 2009 · N10JR · Substantial damage
  > The pilot's failure to maintain aircraft control following a loss of engine power on the left engine for undetermined reasons.

## The whole list in SQL

Runs in DuckDB 1.2 or later on the release's Parquet files over HTTPS:

```sql
SELECT c."ntsbNumber", c."eventDate", c."eventType", c."eventCity", c."eventStateOrRegion", a.n_number, a."aircraftMake", a."aircraftModel", c."highestInjuryLevel", c."totalFatal", c."completionStatus", c.report_url
FROM 'https://openairdocs.org/data/latest/ntsb_case_detail.parquet' c LEFT JOIN 'https://openairdocs.org/data/latest/ntsb_aircrafts.parquet' a ON a.case_mkey = c."mKey" AND a.position = 1
WHERE c."mKey" IN (SELECT x.case_mkey FROM 'https://openairdocs.org/data/latest/ntsb_aircrafts.parquet' x WHERE x.aircraft_model_code IN ('7103002')
    AND EXISTS (SELECT 1 FROM 'https://openairdocs.org/data/latest/ntsb_events.parquet' s WHERE s.case_mkey = x.case_mkey AND s.aircrafts_position = x.position AND s."tier2Number" = '240' AND s.case_mkey IN (SELECT case_mkey FROM 'https://openairdocs.org/data/latest/ntsb_events.parquet' WHERE "isDefiningEvent")))
ORDER BY c."eventDate" DESC, c."ntsbNumber" DESC
```

This list as a web page: https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-events/240/sequence?model=7103002

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