Fatal NTSB investigations: Piper PA-30

14 cases on aircraft the registry lists as Piper PA-30, where the sequence of events included Loss of control in flight. Aircraft are matched to the registry by N-number and event date, checked against the reported serial number, make and model, so older matches can be wrong.

Cases per year

20102026
Fatal NTSB investigations: Piper PA-30 per year, 2010–2026: 14 cases
20101
20133
20151
20161
20172
20181
20222
20232
20251

Latest cases

Query with SQL
duckdb -csv -c "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.\"highestInjuryLevel\" = 'Fatal'
    AND 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"

Prints the whole list as CSV. It reads the release’s Parquet files over HTTPS, so there’s nothing to download first. Install DuckDB to run it.

NTSB CEN26FA064Accident · 2 fatalClass 3 · FieldPreliminary reportPiper PA-30 · West Chicago, ILOn 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…Dec 17, 2025 · N8693Y · Substantial damageNTSB CEN23FA284Accident · 1 fatalClass 3 · FieldFinal reportPiper PA-30 · Sherman, TXThe 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.Jul 8, 2023 · N4743M · Substantial damageNTSB ERA23FA270Accident · 2 fatalClass 3 · FieldFinal reportPiper PA-30 · Ebensburg, PAThe pilot’s spatial disorientation and subsequent loss of airplane control, which resulted in an uncontrolled descent and collision with terrain.Jun 17, 2023 · N7628Y · DestroyedNTSB ERA23FA067Accident · 2 fatalClass 3 · FieldFinal reportPiper PA-30 · Winston-Salem, NCContamination 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…Nov 19, 2022 · N7295Y · Substantial damageNTSB CEN22FA145Accident · 3 fatalClass 3 · FieldFinal reportPiper PA-30 · Pond Creek, OKThe pilot’s loss of control of the airplane, resulting in an in-flight breakup.Mar 17, 2022 · N8357Y · DestroyedNTSB CEN19FA035Accident · 1 fatalField investigationFinal reportPiper PA 30 · Marion, INThe 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…Nov 29, 2018 · N7751Y · DestroyedNTSB CEN17FA297Accident · 2 fatalField investigationFinal reportPiper PA30 · Topeka, KSThe failure of the pilot and flight instructor to maintain aircraft control while maneuvering in the traffic pattern.Aug 1, 2017 · N22HW · DestroyedNTSB WPR17FA108Accident · 2 fatalField investigationFinal reportPiper PA 30 · Haines, AKThe 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…May 27, 2017 · N7376Y · Substantial damageNTSB CEN16FA276Accident · 1 fatalField investigationFinal reportPiper PA 30 · Plainfield, ILThe 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…Jul 21, 2016 · N7409Y · DestroyedNTSB ERA15FA378Accident · 1 fatalField investigationFinal reportPiper PA 30 · St. Petersburg, FLThe 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…Sep 30, 2015 · N21ND · Substantial damageNTSB ERA14FA077Accident · 2 fatalField investigationFinal reportPiper PA-30 · Biglerville, PAThe noninstrument-rated pilot's spatial disorientation after inadvertently encountering instrument meteorological conditions at night and his subsequent loss of airplane control.Dec 26, 2013 · N8372Y · DestroyedNTSB CEN13FA432Accident · 1 fatalField investigationFinal reportPiper PA-30 · Amarillo, TXThe 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.Jul 25, 2013 · N8306Y · Substantial damageNTSB WPR13FA281Accident · 2 fatalField investigationFinal reportPiper PA-30 · Idaho Falls, IDA 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.Jun 22, 2013 · N830SS · Substantial damageNTSB CEN10FA122Accident · 2 fatalField investigationFinal reportPiper PA-30 · Amarillo, TXThe 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.Feb 17, 2010 · N8501Y · Substantial damage