Socata TB-20 N3041Y
22 May 2010 · Happy Camp, California, United States · Fatal
Summary
On 22 May 2010 at about 20:30 local time, a Socata TB-20 registered N3041Y was involved in an accident near Happy Camp, California, United States. One person was on board and one died. The aircraft was substantially damaged. The NTSB has published a probable cause for this accident; it is quoted in full below.
The record
- Date
- at 20:30
- Classification
- Accident
- Location
- Happy Camp, California, United States
- Nearest airport
- Happy Camp Airport (36S)
- Coordinates
- 41.7381, -123.3911
- Aircraft
- Socata TB-20
- Registration
- N3041Y
- Category
- Airplane
- Engines
- 1
- Operator
- Not recorded
- Operating rule
- Part 91: General Aviation
- Purpose of flight
- Personal
- Phase of flight
- Not recorded
- Route
- Palm Springs → Medford
- Aircraft damage
- Substantial
- Weather
- VMC
- Light
- Day
- NTSB number
- WPR10LA259
People
1 person died.
| On board | Died | Serious | Minor | Uninjured |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
Probable cause
The pilot’s inadequate preflight planning and decision to continue to operate under visual flight rules into instrument meteorological conditions, which resulted in an encounter with an embedded thunderstorm and rain showers and moderate to severe turbulence, which ultimately resulted in the loss of airplane control.
Quoted verbatim from the NTSB record. This site does not paraphrase or interpret it.
Read the full NTSB narrative
The non-instrument-rated pilot advised an air traffic controller that he was having trouble descending through clouds. At that point, the controller lost radio and radar contact with the pilot and airplane, respectively. Shortly thereafter, emergency services began receiving telephone calls regarding a possible airplane crash. A law enforcement helicopter could not respond due to the foggy and rainy weather conditions. The wreckage was located later that evening in a forested area. Satellite imagery around the accident time showed the development of an area of convection immediately over the accident site consistent with low topped thunderstorms, which were embedded within a low cloud cover. The accident airplane encountered instrument meteorological conditions when it was lost from radar contact. The flight likely also encountered heavy rain and moderate to severe turbulence associated with the embedded thunderstorms.
Quoted verbatim from the NTSB record.
Other Socata TB-20 accidents
| Date | Aircraft | Location | Operator | Outcome | Died |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 3 Sep 2008 | Socata TB-20 TRINIDAD | Cassville, Wisconsin, United States | - | Fatal | 1 |
| 24 Aug 2007 | Socata TB-20 TRINIDAD | Cheboygan, Michigan, United States | - | Fatal | 2 |
| 19 Mar 2007 | Socata TB-20 TRINIDAD | Rhinelander, Wisconsin, United States | - | No injuries | - |
| 6 Jul 2007 | Socata TB-20 | Groesbeck, Texas, United States | Maximum Aviation | Fatal | 1 |
| 26 Nov 2014 | Socata TB 20 TRINIDAD | Hilton Head Island, South Carolina, United States | Robert Herman | No injuries | - |
| 28 Jun 2004 | Socata TB-20 | Perris, California, United States | - | No injuries | - |
Other accidents in this area
| Date | Aircraft | Location | Operator | Outcome | Died |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 13 Jun 2010 | Grumman Acft Eng Cor-Schweizer G-164B | Courtland, California, United States | Walter Avery | Serious injuries | - |
| 7 Mar 2010 | Cessna 172P | Camarillo Airport, California, United States | Channel Islands Aviation Inc | No injuries | - |
| 27 Apr 2010 | Piper PA-30 | Merced, California, United States | - | Fatal | 1 |
| 12 Oct 2010 | Robinson R22 BETA | Long Beach, California, United States | Temco Sky Networks | Serious injuries | - |
| 15 Jun 2010 | Rans COYOTE II S6 | Lincoln, California, United States | Michael S. Gorden | Fatal | 2 |
| 12 Oct 2010 | Boeing A75N1(PT17) | Palm Springs, California, United States | Kent Thomas | No injuries | - |