# NTSB WPR26FA109: Piper PA-22-150, N3170Z, Oroville, CA, February 28, 2026 - Type: NTSB accident investigation - Classification: Accident · Fatal · Class 3 · Field · Preliminary report - Date: February 28, 2026, 09:48 local (17:48 UTC) - Place: Oroville, CA · 3143 Old Stage Rd., Oroville, CA - Coordinates: 39.665913, -121.65727 - Nearby events: https://openairdocs.org/map.md?lat=39.6659&lon=-121.6573&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: 1 fatal - Status: Investigation ongoing - Investigation class: Class 3 - NTSB office: Western Pacific Region - Parties: FAA, Lycoming Engines, Piper Aircraft - NTSB case key (mKey): 202565 - NTSB case page: https://web.ntsb.gov/investigations/?ntsbnumber=WPR26FA109 - NTSB preliminary report (PDF, downloads): https://data.ntsb.gov/carol-repgen/api/Aviation/ReportMain/GenerateNewestReport/202565/pdf - Page: https://openairdocs.org/ntsb/WPR26FA109 ## Preliminary report On February 28, 2026, about 0948 Pacific standard time, a Piper PA-22-150, N3170Z, was destroyed when it was involved in an accident near Oroville, California. The pilot was fatally injured. The airplane was operated as a Title 14 Code of Federal Regulations Part 91 personal flight. According to a friend of the pilot and the owner of the accident airplane, the purpose of the flight was to fly from Richvale Airport (07CL), Richvale, California, to Paradise Airport Skypark (CA92), Paradise, California, to initiate the airplane’s annual inspection. The morning of the accident, the pilot flew his personal airplane from CA92 to 07CL, secured his airplane, and subsequently departed 07CL in the accident airplane and was enroute to CA92, which was about 12 nautical miles (nm) northwest. A witness that spoke to the pilot via radio on the destination airports common traffic advisory frequency. About 0947, he heard the pilot issue a position report that informed CA92 airport traffic, that he was about 2.5 nm to the southwest and entering the downwind leg of the airport traffic pattern to land on runway 35. Another witness reported that about 0947, they heard a noise resembling an airplane’s engine just above their home, followed by the sound of a loud collision, coupled with the simultaneous jolt and shaking of their home shortly after. After walking outside and seeing the downed airplane, they called 911. First responder dispatch records indicated about 0948, law enforcement officers were dispatched to the accident site. The accident site was located about 3.06 nm southwest of CA92. All major components of the airplane remained attached to or were collocated with the fuselage. The first identifiable point of impact (FIPI) was a single tree located about 12 ft west of the wreckage. The nearly 30 ft tall tree had missing branches near the top of the tree, that were found within the wreckage. The airplane impacted sloping terrain in a near vertical pitch attitude with the right wing upslope, the left wing downslope, and the empennage was folded over the aft fuselage and the inboard section of the right wing. Both wings exhibited chordwise crushing throughout the structure and their respective aileron and flap were present at the site. The wreckage 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-22-150, 3 cases](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-events/000/sequence.md?model=7102210), [All aircraft, 1,703 cases](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-events/000/sequence.md) - [Approach-VFR pattern downwind: Collision with terr/obj (non-CFIT) ](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-events/470); cases with it: [Piper PA-22-150, 41 cases](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-events/470/sequence.md?model=7102210), [All aircraft, 10,189 cases](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-events/470/sequence.md) ## Aircraft - Registration: [N3170Z](https://openairdocs.org/aircraft/N3170Z), registered now, S/N 22-7122, built 1959 (OpenAirDocs) - Reported make and model: PIPER PA-22-150 - Registry model: [Piper PA-22-150](https://openairdocs.org/model/piper-pa-22-150) (registry code 7102210) (OpenAirDocs) - Registry engine: [Lycoming 0-320 series](https://openairdocs.org/engine/lycoming-0-320-series) (registry code 41508, reciprocating) (OpenAirDocs) - Category: Airplane - Serial number: 22-7122 - Year built: 1959 - Damage: Destroyed - Flight: Personal, Part 91 - Airworthiness certificate: Standard, Normal - Last inspection: Annual, February 9, 2025, 20.7 hours before - Departed: 07CL, Richvale, CA - Destination: CA92, Paradise, CA - Airport: CA92, Paradise Skypark, runway 17/35, 3,017 × 60 ft, asphalt - Equipment: ADS-B ## Weather - Conditions: Visual (VMC), Day - Wind: 110° at 5 knots - Visibility: 10 statute miles - Lowest ceiling: none - Temperature: 64 °F, dew point 55 °F - Altimeter: 29.96 inHg - Observed at: KOVE, 10 nm away - METAR: METAR KOVE 281653Z AUTO 11005KT 10SM CLR 18/13 A2996 RMK AO2 SLP145 T01830128 ## 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 20260228001699A](https://openairdocs.org/incident/20260228001699A), Feb 28, 2026: Piper PA-22-150, Oroville, CA, Destroyed, 1 fatal. On February 28, 2026, about 0948 pacific standard time, a Piper PA-22-150, [privacy data omitted], was destroyed when it was involved in an accident near… ## Other investigations on N3170Z (2) 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. - [NTSB LAX01LA185](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb/LAX01LA185), May 18, 2001: Piper PA-22-150 (N3170Z), Concord, CA, substantial damage. Probable cause: The pilot's inadequate compensation for wind conditions, resulting in a loss of directional control and the inadvertent ground loop. - [NTSB LAX92LA056](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb/LAX92LA056), Dec 1, 1991: Piper PA22-150 (N3170Z), Palo Alto, CA, substantial damage. Probable cause: THE PILOT'S FAILURE TO MAINTAIN DIRECTIONAL CONTROL DURING THE LANDING ROLLOUT. 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.