Ryan Aeronautical ST3KR accident near Lincoln, California, November 15, 2005
On November 15, 2005 at about 11:40 pm local time, a Ryan Aeronautical ST3KR, registered N56038, was substantially damaged in an accident near Lincoln, California. It was a personal flight under general aviation rules (Part 91). 1 person was seriously injured. The weather was visual conditions (good weather).
The NTSB's probable cause their words, unchanged
The pilot's failure to maintain airspeed, which resulted in an inadvertent stall while maneuvering.
Source: NTSB aviation accident database, copy made October 5, 2026. Docket and reports at the NTSB.
What the record shows
- Date
- November 15, 2005 · about 11:40 pm local time
- Place
- Lincoln, California · map
- Type
- Accident
- Injuries
- 1 person was seriously injured.
- Weather
- visual conditions (good weather)
- Aircraft
- Ryan Aeronautical ST3KR · all ST3KRs on the register
- Registration
- N56038 · no longer on the register · serial 1308
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Personal flight · general aviation rules (Part 91)
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
The airplane impacted terrain in a near wings level pitch attitude after experiencing a stall. A witness, who was flying his own airplane above and behind the accident airplane, observed it make a left turn. He observed the accident airplane's left wing bobble and the nose subsequently drop in what appeared to be a stall. The accident pilot recovered, but the left wing bobbled and dropped again in another stall. Prior to impact, the pilot pulled the nose up and the airplane impacted the ground hard in a near wings level attitude. According to the other pilot, he spoke to the accident pilot at the hospital. At that time, the accident pilot reported he was having trouble maintaining airspeed. Following his recovery, the accident pilot could not recall any of the events that led to the accident except for fueling the airplane prior to departure. Post-accident examination of the aircraft revealed no anomalies that could have resulted in a loss of airspeed or loss of aircraft control.
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: airline transport pilot, flight instructor, commercial pilot, flight engineer
- Ratings: multi-engine land; single-engine land; single-engine sea; instructor: airplane single-engine; instrument: airplane
- Flight time: 13,313 hours in all; 124 in this make and model; 139 in the last 90 days; 80 in the last 30 days; 8,640 as pilot in command; 159 on instruments
- Last flight review: July 1, 2005
- Medical certificate: Class 1 (without waivers/limitations)
- Seat: rear
- Injury: serious injuries
The aircraft
- Airframe total time: 4,169.3 hours
- Last inspection: annual inspection, June 1, 2005; 1.9 hours since
- Maximum gross weight: 1,860 lb
- Seats: 2
- Landing gear: fixed
- Engine: Kinner R-56 (piston); 0 hours total
The flight
- Departed from: LHM Lincoln CA at 11:20 pm
- Flight plan: none
Weather at the time
- Light: daylight
- Visibility: 10 statute miles
- Sky: clear
- Temperature: 0°F (-18°C), dew point 0°F (-18°C)
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.