# NTSB OAK78FA008: Piper PA-28, N475FL, Watsonville, CA, December 11, 1977

- Type: NTSB accident investigation
- Classification: Accident · Fatal · Closed
- Date: December 11, 1977
- Place: Watsonville, CA · WATSONVILLE, CA
- Location: 36.9236° N, 121.7724° W: Placed by OpenAirDocs: center of Watsonville, CA, within about 6 miles (OpenAirDocs)
- Nearby events: https://openairdocs.org/map.md?lat=36.9236&lon=-121.7724&mi=10
- Phase of flight: [Enroute](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-phases/400) (OpenAirDocs' grouping)
- Highest injury: Fatal
- Injuries: 1 fatal
- Status: Completed, report July 23, 1979
- Report: Brief approved by the director
- NTSB case key (mKey): 144420
- NTSB case page: https://web.ntsb.gov/investigations/?ntsbnumber=OAK78FA008
- Page: https://openairdocs.org/ntsb/OAK78FA008

## NTSB brief

```
----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
 FILE    DATE          LOCATION          AIRCRAFT DATA       INJURIES       FLIGHT                        PILOT DATA
                                                               F  S M/N     PURPOSE
----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
3-3955  77/12/11 NR.WATSONVILLE,CA     PIPER PA-28         CR-  1  0  0  NONCOMMERCIAL             STUDENT, AGE 30, 40 TOTAL
        TIME - UNK/NR                  N475FL              PX-  0  0  0  PRACTICE                  HOURS, UNK/NR IN TYPE,
                                       DAMAGE-DESTROYED    OT-  0  0  0                            NOT INSTRUMENT RATED.
        NAME OF AIRPORT - WATSONVILLE MUNI
        DEPARTURE POINT             INTENDED DESTINATION
         WATSONVILLE,CA               LOCAL
        TYPE OF ACCIDENT                                         PHASE OF OPERATION
           COLLISION WITH GROUND/WATER: CONTROLLED                  IN FLIGHT: CLIMB TO CRUISE
        PROBABLE CAUSE(S)
           PILOT IN COMMAND - INITIATED FLIGHT IN ADVERSE WEATHER CONDITIONS
           PILOT IN COMMAND - ATTEMPTED OPERATION BEYOND EXPERIENCE/ABILITY LEVEL
        FACTOR(S)
           WEATHER - LOW CEILING
           WEATHER - FOG
        MISSING AIRCRAFT - LATER RECOVERED
        SKY CONDITION                                            CEILING AT ACCIDENT SITE
          OVERCAST                                                  800
        VISIBILITY AT ACCIDENT SITE                              PRECIPITATION AT ACCIDENT SITE
          ZERO                                                     RAIN
        OBSTRUCTIONS TO VISION AT ACCIDENT SITE                  TEMPERATURE-F
          FOG                                                       53
        TYPE OF WEATHER CONDITIONS                               TYPE OF FLIGHT PLAN
          IFR                                                      NONE
         FIRE AFTER IMPACT
        REMARKS- ACFT LOST AFTER DEPARTURE FROM WATSONVILLE ARPT.ACFT FOUND 3/4/79.
```

## Aircraft

- Registration: [N475FL](https://openairdocs.org/deregistered/N475FL-2012-08-06), registration cancelled 2012-08-06, S/N 28-7125280, built 1971 (OpenAirDocs)
- Reported make and model: PIPER PA-28
- Registry model: [Piper PA-28-140](https://openairdocs.org/model/piper-pa-28-140) (registry code 7102802) (OpenAirDocs)
- Registry engine: [Lycoming 0-320 series](https://openairdocs.org/engine/lycoming-0-320-series) (registry code 41508, reciprocating) (OpenAirDocs)
- Category: Airplane
- Engines: reciprocating
- Damage: Destroyed
- Airport: Watsonville Muni

## 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 19771211040449A](https://openairdocs.org/incident/19771211040449A), Dec 11, 1977: Piper PA28140, CA, Destroyed. Aircraft damaged and index presumed.

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.

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