Piper PA-38-112 accident near Mariposa, California, May 11, 2007
On May 11, 2007 at about 4:00 pm local time, a Piper PA-38-112, registered N2539D, was substantially damaged in an accident near Mariposa, California (Mariposa-Yosemite airport). It was a personal 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 failure to maintain clearance from a vehicle while taxiing.
Source: NTSB aviation accident database, copy made October 5, 2026. Docket and reports at the NTSB.
What the record shows
- Date
- May 11, 2007 · about 4:00 pm local time
- Place
- Mariposa, California · Mariposa-Yosemite · map
- Type
- Accident
- Injuries
- No one was hurt; 1 person was on board or involved.
- Weather
- visual conditions (good weather)
- Aircraft
- Piper PA-38-112 · all PA-38-112s on the register
- Registration
- N2539D · no longer on the register · serial 38-79A0360
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Personal flight · general aviation rules (Part 91)
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
The airplane's left wing impacted a service vehicle while the pilot was taxiing for takeoff on a taxiway that paralleled the active runway. At the time, the service vehicle was stationary and unoccupied. It was located partially on the apron adjacent to the taxiway and partially on the taxiway. The ground collision occurred while the airplane was proceeding on the centerline of the taxiway. Available room to taxi existed to the south of the taxiway, should the pilot have elected to use the area. No mechanical malfunctions were reported with 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
Pilot
- Certificate: commercial pilot
- Ratings: multi-engine land; single-engine land; instrument: airplane
- Flight time: 236 hours in all; 187 in this make and model
- Medical certificate: Class 1
- Injury: no injuries
The aircraft
- Seats: 2
- Landing gear: fixed
- Engine: Lycoming O-235-L2C (piston); 0 hours total
The flight
- Departed from: FAT Fresno CA at 2:30 pm
- Destination: MPI Mariposa CA
- Flight plan: none
- Runway 26, 3,306 ft by 60 ft
Weather at the time
- Light: daylight
- Visibility: 10 statute miles
- Sky: clear
- Temperature: 77°F (25°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.
Other NTSB records under N2539D the same tail number, which may have belonged to a different aircraft at the time
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.