# NTSB OAK76AP015: Piper PA-34, N55105, Kirkwood, CA, October 6, 1975

- Type: NTSB accident investigation
- Classification: Accident · Fatal · Closed
- Date: October 6, 1975
- Place: Kirkwood, CA · KIRKWOOD, CA
- Location: 38.6893° N, 120.0550° W: Placed by OpenAirDocs: center of Kirkwood, CA, within about 6 miles (OpenAirDocs)
- Nearby events: https://openairdocs.org/map.md?lat=38.6893&lon=-120.0550&mi=10
- Phase of flight: [Enroute](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-phases/400) (OpenAirDocs' grouping)
- Highest injury: Fatal
- Injuries: 2 fatal
- Status: Completed, report January 27, 1976
- Report: Brief approved by the director
- NTSB case key (mKey): 151458
- NTSB case page: https://web.ntsb.gov/investigations/?ntsbnumber=OAK76AP015
- Page: https://openairdocs.org/ntsb/OAK76AP015

## NTSB brief

```
----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
 FILE    DATE          LOCATION          AIRCRAFT DATA       INJURIES       FLIGHT                        PILOT DATA
                                                               F  S M/N     PURPOSE
----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
3-3719   75/10/6   KIRKWOOD,CA         PIPER PA-34         CR-  2  0  0  NONCOMMERCIAL             PRIVATE, AGE 53, 2800
        TIME - 1254                    N55105              PX-  0  0  0  PLEASURE/PERSONAL TRANSP  TOTAL HOURS, 15 IN TYPE,
                                       DAMAGE-DESTROYED    OT-  0  0  0                            INSTRUMENT RATED.
        DEPARTURE POINT             INTENDED DESTINATION
          TOPAZ LAKE,NV               SALINAS,CA
        TYPE OF ACCIDENT                                         PHASE OF OPERATION
           AIRFRAME FAILURE: IN FLIGHT                              IN FLIGHT: OTHER
           COLLISION WITH GROUND/WATER: UNCONTROLLED                IN FLIGHT: UNCONTROLLED DESCENT
        PROBABLE CAUSE(S)
           PILOT IN COMMAND - IMPROPER IN-FLIGHT DECISIONS OR PLANNING
           PILOT IN COMMAND - SPATIAL DISORIENTATION
           PILOT IN COMMAND - EXCEEDED DESIGNED STRESS LIMITS OF AIRCRAFT
           MISCELLANEOUS ACTS,CONDITIONS - AIRFRAME ICE
           WEATHER - ICING CONDITIONS-INCLUDES SLEET,FREEZING RAIN,ETC.
           WEATHER - TURBULENCE, ASSOCIATED W/CLOUDS AND/OR THUNDERSTORMS
        FACTOR(S)
           MISCELLANEOUS ACTS,CONDITIONS - SEPARATION IN FLIGHT
        WEATHER BRIEFING - PARTIAL BRIEFING BY WEATHER BUREAU PERSONNEL, BY PHONE,LIMITED BY PILOT ACTION
        WEATHER FORECAST - WEATHER SLIGHTLY WORSE THAN FORECAST
        MISSING AIRCRAFT - LATER RECOVERED
        SKY CONDITION                                            CEILING AT ACCIDENT SITE
          OVERCAST                                                  2500
        VISIBILITY AT ACCIDENT SITE                              PRECIPITATION AT ACCIDENT SITE
          ZERO                                                     RAIN
        OBSTRUCTIONS TO VISION AT ACCIDENT SITE                  WIND DIRECTION-DEGREES
          FOG                                                      270
        WIND VELOCITY-KNOTS                                      TYPE OF WEATHER CONDITIONS
           45                                                      IFR
        TYPE OF FLIGHT PLAN
          IFR
         FIRE AFTER IMPACT
        REMARKS- IN-FLT BREAK UP. RECOVERY DATE 10/7/75. ACFT NOT ANTI-ICER,DE-ICER EQUIPPED.
```

## Aircraft

- Registration: [N55105](https://openairdocs.org/deregistered/N55105-1976-03-04), registration cancelled 1976-03-04, S/N 347350173 (OpenAirDocs)
- Reported make and model: PIPER PA-34
- Registry model: [Piper PA-34-200](https://openairdocs.org/model/piper-pa-34-200) (registry code 7103405) (OpenAirDocs)
- Category: Airplane
- Engines: reciprocating
- Damage: Destroyed

## FAA reports on this event (1)

The FAA's own accident and incident reports, matched to the aircraft by N-number and date (OpenAirDocs).

- [Accident 19751006041749A](https://openairdocs.org/incident/19751006041749A), Oct 6, 1975: Piper PA34200, Kirkwood, CA, Destroyed. In-flt break up. Recovery date 10/7/75. Acft not anti-icer,de-icer equipped.

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.

---
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.