Piper PA-32-260 N2785Q

Summary

On 24 December 2025 at about 20:30 local time, a Piper PA-32-260 registered N2785Q was involved in an accident near Rio Linda, California, United States. 2 people were on board and one died, one was seriously injured. The aircraft was substantially damaged. No probable cause has been published yet; this accident is still under investigation.

Date

24 December 2025 at 20:30

Classification

Accident

Location

Rio Linda, California, United States

Nearest airport

Rio Linda (L36)

Coordinates

38.6660, -121.4480

Aircraft

Piper PA-32-260

Registration

N2785Q

Category

Airplane

Year built

1966

Engines

1

Operator

Not recorded

Operating rule

Part 91: General Aviation

Purpose of flight

Personal

Phase of flight

Not recorded

Aircraft damage

Substantial

Weather

VMC

Light

Day

NTSB number

WPR26FA069

1 person died.

The NTSB has not published a probable cause for this record. The investigation is still open; a final report usually follows one to two years after the accident.

Nothing about the cause is stated here that is not in the source record.

Read the full NTSB narrative

On December 24, 2025, at approximately 1230 Pacific standard time, a Piper PA-32-260, N2785Q, was substantially damaged when it was involved in an accident near Rio Linda, California. The pilot sustained serious injuries, and the pilot-rated passenger was fatally injured. The airplane was operated as a Title 14 Code of Federal Regulations Part 91 personal flight. According to friends of the pilot, the airplane had not flown since August, and the purpose of the flight was for the pilot, who was the owner, to maintain proficiency. No ADS-B data was available for the flight; however, it appeared to have departed from runway 17 at its home base, Rio Linda Airport (L36), at about 1228. Witnesses located about one-half mile south of the airport reported seeing the airplane flying at low altitude in a southbound direction away from the airport. One witness stated that they could not hear the sound of an engine and assumed the airplane was attempting to land in a field. The airplane came to rest in a grass field about 2,200 ft south-southwest of the departure end of runway 17. The first identified point of impact was a 25-ft-long ground disruption that contained fragments of paint chips and composite material. The debris field continued on a heading of about 240°, leading to the right wing, which had detached at the wing root along with the nose gear assembly and right flap. The main fuselage was located about 90 ft farther downrange and had come to rest generally intact and upright. The left wing was separated at the root, essentially undamaged, and had come to rest inverted just beyond the main cabin. Both wingtip fuel tanks, along with the right wing tank, had been breached and were empty. The left tank was intact and was more than half full when viewed through the filler neck. The cabin sustained minimal damage and was essentially intact. The airplane was equipped with lap belts for the front occupants but did not appear to have shoulder harnesses installed. The engine remained attached to the firewall by its mount and was bent downward and slightly to the right. Both propeller blades remained attached to the hub and were bent about 45° aft at midspan, with minimal evidence of chordwise striations or leading-edge damage. The wreckage was recovered to a secure location for further examination.

Quoted verbatim from the NTSB record.