Piper PA-30 accident near Ebensburg, Pennsylvania, June 17, 2023
On June 17, 2023 at about 9:06 am local time, a 1964 Piper PA-30, registered N7628Y, was destroyed in an accident during initial climb near Ebensburg, Pennsylvania (Ebensburg Airport). It was a personal flight under general aviation rules (Part 91). 2 people were killed. The weather was instrument conditions (cloud, fog or low visibility).
The NTSB's probable cause their words, unchanged
The pilot’s spatial disorientation and subsequent loss of airplane control, which resulted in an uncontrolled descent and collision with terrain.
Source: NTSB aviation accident database, copy made October 5, 2026. Docket and reports at the NTSB.
What the record shows
- Date
- June 17, 2023 · about 9:06 am local time
- Place
- Ebensburg, Pennsylvania · Ebensburg Airport · map
- Type
- Accident
- Injuries
- 2 people were killed.
- Weather
- instrument conditions (cloud, fog or low visibility)
- Aircraft
- Piper PA-30, built 1964 · all PA-30s on the register
- Registration
- N7628Y · registry record · serial 30-703
- Damage
- Destroyed
- Flight
- Personal flight · general aviation rules (Part 91)
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
The pilot departed from an non-towered airport before sunrise with an instrument flight rules (IFR) flight plan on file. Track data revealed that the airplane entered a climbing, left turn after takeoff, reaching an altitude about 1,500 ft above the ground. The airplane remained in the left turn for about 360°. An examination of tree strikes at the accident site revealed that the airplane was at a left bank angle of about 55° and a descent angle of about 30° at impact. The airplane impacted trees and terrain about 2 miles south of the departure airport. The wreckage was highly fragmented, indicative of a high-energy impact with the ground. Postaccident examination of the airframe, engines, and propellers did not reveal evidence of a pre-existing mechanical malfunction or anomaly that would have precluded normal operation. One of the pilot’s toxicology specimens tested positive for ethanol; however, whether the pilot had consumed alcohol or was experiencing any associated impairing effects at the time of the crash could not be determined based on the limited toxicological evidence. Although the departure airport did not have a weather reporting capability, a nearby airport reported low instrument meteorological conditions and the pilot likely encountered these instrument conditions shortly after takeoff. While the pilot had logged thirteen practice instrument approaches in the six months before the accident, he had logged no actual instrument time in the eight months before the accident. Based on the weather conditions, the dark lighting conditions, and the wreckage distribution, which was consistent with a high-speed impact, it is likely that the pilot experienced spatial disorientation and lost airplane control after taking off.
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 in flight during initial climb
- Collision with terrain or object (not controlled flight into terrain) during uncontrolled descent
- Loss of visual reference during initial climb defining event
The NTSB's findings
- Personnel issues › Task performance › Use of equip/info › Aircraft control › Pilot
- Personnel issues › Psychological › Perception/orientation/illusion › Spatial disorientation › Pilot
- Aircraft › Aircraft oper/perf/capability › (general) › (general) › Not attained/maintained
- Environmental issues › Conditions/weather/phenomena › Ceiling/visibility/precip › Clouds › Effect on operation
- Environmental issues › Conditions/weather/phenomena › Light condition › Dark › Effect on operation
Pilot
- Certificate: commercial pilot
- Ratings: multi-engine land; single-engine land; instrument: airplane
- Flight time: 1,284 hours in all; 26 in the last 90 days; 15 in the last 30 days
- Last flight review: April 12, 2023
- Medical certificate: Class 3 (with waivers/limitations)
- Seat: unk
- Injury: fatal
The aircraft
- Airframe total time: 4,526 hours
- Last inspection: annual inspection, May 13, 2022; 54 hours since
- Maximum gross weight: 3,600 lb
- Seats: 2
- Landing gear: retractable
- Engine 3: Lycoming IO-320-B1A (piston); 0 hours total
- Engine 4: Lycoming IO-320-B1A (piston); 0 hours total
- Fire on the ground
The flight
- Destination: OXB Ocean City MD
- Flight plan: IFR
- Runway 25, 3,204 ft by 50 ft
Weather at the time
- Light: night, dark
- Wind: from 300° at 10 knots
- Visibility: 0.5 statute miles
- Sky: vv at 200 ft
- Temperature: 54°F (12°C), dew point 54°F (12°C)
- Altimeter: 29.86 inHg
- Observation at 5:10 am from KJST, 7 miles away
Weather report (METAR): KJST 170910Z AUTO 30010KT 1/2SM FG VV002 12/12 A2986 RMK AO2 T01220122
Injuries
| Fatal | Serious | Minor | None | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Flight crew | 1 | |||
| Passengers | 1 |
Documents from the investigation the NTSB's docket: the evidence folder behind the report
21 documents, released by the NTSB on June 4, 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.
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.