Piper PA-28-140 accident near Rosamond, California, December 30, 2000
On December 30, 2000 at about 10:30 pm local time, a Piper PA-28-140, registered N61CS, was substantially damaged in an accident near Rosamond, California (Rosamond Skypark airport). It was an instructional flight 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 pilot's improper airplane handling technique and inadequate airspeed during performance of an intentional soft field takeoff.
Source: NTSB aviation accident database, copy made October 5, 2026. Docket and reports at the NTSB.
What the record shows
- Date
- December 30, 2000 · about 10:30 pm local time
- Place
- Rosamond, California · Rosamond Skypark · map
- Type
- Accident
- Injuries
- No one was hurt; 1 person was on board or involved.
- Weather
- visual conditions (good weather)
- Aircraft
- Piper PA-28-140 · all PA-28-140s on the register
- Registration
- N61CS · registry record · serial 28-7325160
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Instructional flight · general aviation rules (Part 91)
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
The student pilot had previously practiced a soft field takeoff with his instructor, and he was authorized to attempt the maneuver by himself. The student extended the wing flaps to the customary second notch position and commenced the takeoff roll. The airplane accelerated, its nose pitched upward, and the airplane lifted off the ground in a nose high attitude. As the airplane departed ground effect, its high nose up pitch attitude did not decrease. The airplane yawed left, stalled, and descended until impacting the ground, a tree, and a building.
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
Pilot
- Certificate: student
- Flight time: 36 hours in all; 11 in this make and model; 21 in the last 90 days; 7 in the last 30 days
- Medical certificate: Class 3 (valid medical--no waivers/lim.)
- Seat: left
The aircraft
- Last inspection: annual inspection
- Maximum gross weight: 2,150 lb
- Seats: 4
- Landing gear: fixed
- Engine: Lycoming O-320 (piston); 0 hours total
- Operator: A.V. Aviation
The flight
- Departed from: L00 at 10:29 pm
- Flight plan: none
- Runway 25, 3,600 ft by 50 ft
Weather at the time
- Light: daylight
- Wind: from 160° at 3 knots
- Visibility: 10 statute miles
- Sky: clear
- Temperature: 142°F (61°C), dew point 48°F (9°C)
- Altimeter: 30.00 inHg
- Observation at 11:56 pm from WJF, 8 miles away
Injuries
| Fatal | Serious | Minor | None | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Crew | 1 |
Documents from the investigation the NTSB's docket: the evidence folder behind the report
The docket, the folder of records gathered during an investigation (maintenance records, photographs, witness statements, examinations), has not been read from the NTSB for this case yet; the list appears here once it has. Open the docket 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.