Piper PA60 accident near Nanaimo, Ca, December 11, 2019
On December 11, 2019 at about 1:30 am local time, a Piper PA60, registered CFQYW, was destroyed in an accident during enroute near Nanaimo. It was a personal flight under non-U.S. private rules. 3 people were killed.
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
- December 11, 2019 · about 1:30 am local time
- Place
- Nanaimo, Canada
- Type
- Accident
- Injuries
- 3 people were killed.
- Weather
- not recorded
- Aircraft
- Piper PA60 602P · all PA60s on the register
- Registration
- CFQYW · no longer on the register · serial 60-8265020
- Damage
- Destroyed
- Flight
- Personal flight · non-U.S. private rules
The NTSB's narrative preliminary · quoted from the NTSB record
The government of Canada has notified the NTSB of an accident involving a Piper PA60 airplane that occurred on December 11, 2019. The NTSB has appointed a U.S. Accredited Representative to assist the government of Canada's investigation under the provisions of ICAO Annex 13. All investigative information will be released by the government of Canada. Further information pertaining to this accident may be obtained from: Transportation Safety Board of Canada 200 Promenade du Portage Place du Centre, 4th Floor Hull, Quebec K1A 1K8 Canada Tel.: (1) 819-994-4252 (1) 819-997-7887 (24 hour) E-mail: airops@tsb.gc.ca Fax: (1) 819-953-9586 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
- Unknown or undetermined during enroute defining event
The aircraft
- Maximum gross weight: 6,314 lb
- Landing gear: fixed
- Fire on the ground
The flight
- Departed from: KBIH Bishop CA
- Destination: CYCD Nanaimo
Weather at the time
- Temperature: 0°F (-18°C), dew point 0°F (-18°C)
Injuries
| Fatal | Serious | Minor | None | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Flight crew | 1 | |||
| Passengers | 2 |
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.