# NTSB WPR25FA208: Piper PA-28-180, N8375W, Needles, CA, July 14, 2025

- Type: NTSB accident investigation
- Classification: Accident · Fatal · Class 3 · Field · Preliminary report
- Date: July 13, 2025, 21:28 local (Jul 14, 2025, 04:28 UTC)
- Place: Needles, CA · desert environment near airport
- Coordinates: 34.761397, -114.62489 (estimated)
- Nearby events: https://openairdocs.org/map.md?lat=34.7614&lon=-114.6249&mi=10
- Phase of flight: [Unknown](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-phases/990) (OpenAirDocs' grouping)
- Defining event: [Unknown: Unknown or undetermined](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-events/000)
- Highest injury: Fatal
- Injuries: 2 fatal
- Status: Investigation ongoing
- Investigation class: Class 3
- NTSB office: Western Pacific Region
- Parties: Federal Aviation Administration, Lycoming, Piper Aircraft Inc
- NTSB case key (mKey): 200521
- NTSB case page: https://web.ntsb.gov/investigations/?ntsbnumber=WPR25FA208
- NTSB preliminary report (PDF, downloads): https://data.ntsb.gov/carol-repgen/api/Aviation/ReportMain/GenerateNewestReport/200521/pdf
- Page: https://openairdocs.org/ntsb/WPR25FA208

## Preliminary report

On July 13, 2025, about 2128 Pacific daylight time, a Piper PA-28-180, N8375W, was substantially damaged when it was involved in an accident near Needles, California. Both pilots sustained fatal injuries. The airplane was operated as a Title 14 Code of Federal Regulations Part 91 personal flight. The operator reported that the two pilots rented the airplane to accumulate flight hours. Preliminary ADS-B data provided by a commercially available third-party service showed the airplane depart North Las Vegas Airport (VGT), Las Vegas, Nevada, at 1934 and subsequently land at Needles Airport (EED), Needles, California about one hour later. The operator then received an emergency locator transmitter (ELT) alert about 2133. Local law-enforcement officers observed a fire at 2140 and subsequently located the main wreckage about 1,425 ft southwest from the departure end of runway 20. The airplane came to rest inverted with thermal damage to the fuselage. The first identified point of contact (FIPC) was a ground scar about 225 ft north of the main wreckage, approximately 1,200 ft from the departure end of the runway. The debris path continued to the south with the propeller and hub assembly at the end of the debris path about 25 ft beyond the main wreckage. The total debris path spanned about 250 ft from the FIPC to the propeller. All major airplane components and control surfaces were located and identified within the debris path. The airplane was recovered to a secure facility for further examination.

## Sequence of events

The events NTSB coded, in order, by phase of flight. The defining event best describes what happened.

- [Unknown: Unknown or undetermined](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-events/000) (defining event); cases with it: [Piper PA-28-180, 6 cases](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-events/000/sequence.md?model=7102808), [All aircraft, 1,703 cases](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-events/000/sequence.md)

## Aircraft

- Registration: [N8375W](https://openairdocs.org/aircraft/N8375W), registered now, S/N 28-2575, built 1965 (OpenAirDocs)
- Reported make and model: PIPER PA-28-180 (NO SERIES)
- Registry model: [Piper PA-28-180](https://openairdocs.org/model/piper-pa-28-180) (registry code 7102808) (OpenAirDocs)
- Registry engine: [Lycoming O&VO-360 series](https://openairdocs.org/engine/lycoming-o-vo-360-series) (registry code 41514, reciprocating) (OpenAirDocs)
- Category: Airplane
- Serial number: 28-2575
- Year built: 1965
- Airframe hours: 3491.3
- Damage: Substantial damage
- Fire: On-Ground
- Flight: Personal, Part 91
- Last inspection: 100 hour, June 4, 2025
- Destination: EED, Las Vegas, NV
- Airport: EED, Needles, runway 02/20, 4,235 × 100 ft, asphalt
- Equipment: Electronic multifunction display, Stall warning system, ADS-B, Electronic flight bag or handheld device, Electronic primary flight display

## Weather

- Conditions: Visual (VMC), Night/dark
- Wind: 210° at 11 knots
- Visibility: 10 statute miles
- Lowest ceiling: none
- Temperature: 106 °F, dew point 57 °F
- Altimeter: 29.77 inHg
- Observed at: KEED
- METAR: KEED 140356Z AUTO 21011KT 10SM CLR 41/14 A2977 RMK AO2 SLP037 T04110139

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.