Socata TB 20 TRINIDAD accident near Sierraville, CA
On April 17, 2017, a Socata TB 20 TRINIDAD (airplane) was involved in an accident near Sierraville, CA. 2 people died. Damage to the aircraft: destroyed.
- Date
- April 17, 2017
- Place
- Sierraville, CA
- Aircraft
- Socata TB 20 TRINIDAD · Airplane
- Injuries
- 2 fatal, 0 serious, 0 minor
- Damage
- Destroyed
- Position
- 39.541°N, 120.471°W
- NTSB ID
- 20170419X25815
Official records · WPR17FA105
- Public docket: reports, statements and exhibits from the investigation
Air traffic control records
- Recording Devices Specialist's Factual Report: Document (PDF), on ntsb.gov
NTSB summary
HISTORY OF FLIGHTOn April 17, 2017, about 1610 Pacific daylight time, a Socata TB-20 Trinidad airplane, N28070, was destroyed during impact with remote mountainous tree-covered terrain while maneuvering about 5.5 nautical miles (nm) southwest of Sierraville, California. The noninstrument-rated private pilot and the passenger were fatally injured. The airplane was registered to the pilot and another individual and was being operated by the pilot under the provisions of Title 14 Code of Federal Regulations Part 91. Instrument meteorological conditions (IMC) prevailed in the area at the time of the accident, and a flight plan was not filed for the personal cross-country flight. The flight originated from Truckee-Tahoe Airport (TRK), Truckee, California, about 1550, and was destined for Petaluma Airport (O69), Petaluma, California. In a written statement provided to the National Transportation Safety Board (NTSB) investigator-in-charge (IIC), the co-owner of the airplane reported that he had flown with the pilot from TRK to O69 on three occasions. On departure, they had climbed to the north toward Sierraville, then turned left (west) on a direct track toward O69, a route that took them over a valley and between mountain peaks. The co-owner further reported that on the day before the accident, he received a text message from the pilot that read, "…tomorrow is looking iffy on getting out," followed by, "…I think I'll have a window or two to get out." On the day of the accident during the morning, the pilot called the co-owner during which the pilot asked his opinion as to whether
Probable cause
The pilot's decision to continue visual flight rules flight into instrument meteorological conditions, which resulted in controlled flight into mountainous terrain.
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Browse: California · Socata aircraft
Source: NTSB aviation accident database (US government, public domain). Findings may be preliminary or later revised by the NTSB. Not a complete global record.
