Pyka INC PELICAN accident near Dixon, California, March 28, 2025
On March 28, 2025 at about 4:50 pm local time, a 2023 Pyka INC PELICAN, registered N939NP, was substantially damaged in an accident during initial climb near Dixon, California (Pvt airport). It was a flight test under general aviation rules (Part 91). No one was hurt; 1 person was on board or involved. The weather was visual conditions (good weather).
The NTSB's probable cause their words, unchanged
The flight control system’s unanticipated transition to takeoff abort mode due to a software error in the autonomous flight control system, which resulted in a premature throttle reduction and hard landing.
Source: NTSB aviation accident database, copy made October 5, 2026. Docket and reports at the NTSB.
What the record shows
- Date
- March 28, 2025 · about 4:50 pm local time
- Place
- Dixon, California · Pvt · map
- Type
- Accident
- Injuries
- No one was hurt; 1 person was on board or involved.
- Weather
- visual conditions (good weather)
- Aircraft
- Pyka INC PELICAN, built 2023
- Registration
- N939NP · registry record · serial 16056PS0030
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Flight test · general aviation rules (Part 91)
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
A Pyka Inc. unmanned aircraft system (model name Pelican, type: airplane) sustained substantial damage during a flight test at the manufacturer’s test site. There were no injuries. The airplane was operating with an FAA Certificate of Authorization No. 2025-WSA-562-SAC-REV1 and operating exemption No. 23028. According to the manufacturer’s website, the airplane is designed for agricultural spraying applications. It has 4 electric motors that each drive a two-bladed fixed-pitch propeller, and has a maximum gross weight of 1,320 lbs. Figure 1. Photo of the Pelican vehicle. (Source: Pyka Inc.) According to the operator, the purpose of the flight was to test landings. Following a normal takeoff in autonomous mode, approximately two seconds into the flight, the ground control station operator issued a land command. In response, the aircraft unexpectedly reduced throttle to idle and annunciated that it had entered a takeoff abort mode. The aircraft then descended and landed abruptly on the dirt runway. The impact resulted in partial separation of the forward fuselage at the wing leading edge and buckling of the aft fuselage on the right side beneath the wing trailing edge. After the accident, the operator discovered an error in the autonomous software that resulted in the unintended behavior of the airplane.
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
- Flight control sys malf/fail during initial climb defining event
The NTSB's findings
- Aircraft › Aircraft systems › Flight control system › (general) › Design
Pilot
- Certificate: commercial pilot
- Ratings: multi-engine land; single-engine land; instrument: airplane
- Flight time: 432 hours in all; 252 in this make and model; 1 in the last 90 days; 1 in the last 30 days; 303 as pilot in command
- Last flight review: April 19, 2025
- Medical certificate: Class 3 (without waivers/limitations)
- Seat: none
- Injury: no injuries
The aircraft
- Airframe total time: 251 hours
- Last inspection: condition inspection, February 28, 2025
- Maximum gross weight: 1,320 lb
- Seats: 0
- Landing gear: fixed
- Engine 1: Sunray Motors DT13855-42P-6 (electric); 0 hours total
- Engine 4: Sunray Motors DT13855-42P-6 (electric); 0 hours total
- Engine 5: Sunray Motors DT13855-42P-6 (electric); 0 hours total
- Engine 6: Sunray Motors DT13855-42P-6 (electric); 0 hours total
- Operator: Pyka INC
The flight
- Flight plan: none
- Runway 18, 3,000 ft by 20 ft
Weather at the time
- Light: daylight
- Wind: from 230° at 9 knots
- Visibility: 10 statute miles
- Sky: broken clouds at 3,900 ft; scat at 3,000 ft
- Temperature: 61°F (16°C), dew point 46°F (8°C)
- Altimeter: 30.06 inHg
- Observation at 11:55 am from KEDU, 7 miles away
Weather report (METAR): METAR KEDU 281855Z AUTO 23009KT 10SM SCT030 BKN039 OVC050 16/08 A3006 RMK AO1=
Injuries
| Fatal | Serious | Minor | None | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Flight crew | 1 |
Documents from the investigation the NTSB's docket: the evidence folder behind the report
2 documents, released by the NTSB on October 23, 2025. View them here, or download them; the NTSB redacts some personal details before release, and this site shows the NTSB's own titles rather than its file names.
| # | Document | What it is | |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Pilot/operator Aircraft Accident Report, NTSB Form 6120.1 | PDF, 11 pages | View Download |
| 2 | Additional Information Provided by Operator | PDF, 2 pages | View Download |
The same docket at the NTSB · documents without a copy here are fetched from the NTSB when you open them.
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.