Piper PA28 accident near Black Diamond, Ca, July 30, 2018
On July 30, 2018 at about 1:33 am local time, a Piper PA28, registered CGVZJ, was substantially damaged in an accident during takeoff near Black Diamond. It was flown under rules the NTSB did not record. 1 person was killed; 1 other was unhurt.
The NTSB's probable cause their words, unchanged
The NTSB has not yet published a probable cause for this accident. Investigations usually take one to two years; this page updates when the final report is released.
Source: NTSB aviation accident database, copy made October 5, 2026. Docket and reports at the NTSB.
What the record shows
- Date
- July 30, 2018 · about 1:33 am local time
- Place
- Black Diamond, Canada
- Type
- Accident
- Injuries
- 1 person was killed; 1 other was unhurt.
- Weather
- not recorded
- Aircraft
- Piper PA28 161 · all PA28s on the register
- Registration
- CGVZJ · no longer on the register · serial 28-8316092
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Flight · rules the NTSB did not record
The NTSB's narrative preliminary · quoted from the NTSB record
On July 30, 2018, about 0133 Coordinated Universal Time, a Piper PA-28-161 airplane, C-GVZJ, was departing a cut hay field and collided with hay bales near Black Diamond, Alberta, Canada, under unknown circumstances. Of the two occupants onboard, 1 sustained fatal injuries and the other sustained serious injuries. The Transportation Safety Board (TSB) of Canada is investigating the accident. As the State of Manufacture of the airplane and engine, the NTSB has designated a U.S. accredited representative to assist the TSB in its investigation. All inquiries concerning this accident should be directed to the TSB of Canada: Transportation Safety Board of Canada 200 Promenade du Portage Place du Centre, 4th Floor Hull, Quebec K1A 1K8 Canada Website: http://www.tsb.gc.ca
The complete narrative as the NTSB published it. The NTSB's docket holds the report as a PDF and any photographs, statements and other documents from the investigation.
The factual record from the NTSB's investigation tables, in plain English
What happened, in order
- Loss of control on ground during takeoff defining event
The aircraft
- Maximum gross weight: 2,445 lb
- Landing gear: fixed
- Engine:; 0 hours total
- Fire on the ground
The flight
- Departed from: Black Diamond
- Destination: CEJ4 Claresholm
- Flight plan: not recorded
Weather at the time
- Temperature: 0°F (-18°C), dew point 0°F (-18°C)
Injuries
| Fatal | Serious | Minor | None | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Flight crew | 1 | |||
| Passengers | 1 |
Documents from the investigation the NTSB's docket: the evidence folder behind the report
The NTSB has not released the docket for this case yet. The docket, the folder of records gathered during an investigation (maintenance records, photographs, witness statements, examinations), is usually released when the investigation is nearly complete, and the list here is refreshed when it appears. Check at the NTSB.
Everything on this page comes from the NTSB's public records. The narrative, probable cause and findings are the NTSB's own words; the coded tables behind the report are written out in plain English, with pilots' ages, home towns and medical details left out. The documents and photographs are the NTSB's docket, shown as the NTSB released them. This site's own text never names anyone involved. A preliminary report can change; the final report usually follows one to two years later, and the page is refreshed when it does.