Piper PA-28R-201T accident near Vacaville, California, March 20, 1991
On March 20, 1991 at about 6:20 am local time, a Piper PA-28R-201T, registered N2776M, was destroyed in an accident near Vacaville, California. It was a business 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 CONTINUED VFR FLIGHT AT NIGHT UNDER LOW CLOUDS, AND HIS FAILURE TO MAINTAIN SUFFICIENT ALTITUDE OVER RISING TERRAIN. FACTORS RELATED TO THE ACCIDENT WERE: DARKNESS, THE ADVERSE WEATHER AND TERRAIN CONDITIONS, AND THE CONTROLLER'S INACCURATE RESPONSE TO THE PILOT'S COMMENT ABOUT FLYING OVER FLAT TERRAIN.
Source: NTSB aviation accident database, copy made October 5, 2026. Docket and reports at the NTSB.
What the record shows
- Date
- March 20, 1991 · about 6:20 am local time
- Place
- Vacaville, California · map
- Type
- Accident
- Injuries
- 2 people were killed.
- Weather
- instrument conditions (cloud, fog or low visibility)
- Aircraft
- Piper PA-28R-201T PA-28R-201 · all PA-28R-201Ts on the register
- Registration
- N2776M · no longer on the register · serial 7803144
- Damage
- Destroyed
- Flight
- Business flight · general aviation rules (Part 91)
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
BFR FLT AT NGT, PLT RCVD 2 WX BRIEFINGS & FILED VFR FLT PLN. LOW CIGS PREVAILED ALONG RTE. ABT 7 MIN AFTER TKOF, PLT OPENED FLT PLN & RCVD VFR ADZY FM OAKLAND CTR WITH HANDOFF TO TRAVIS RAPCON. AFTER DISCUSSION ABT RTE, RADAR CTLR PROVIDED VECTOR OF 050 DEG. AT 2216:15, CTLR TOLD PLT RADAR CTC WAS LOST DUE TO ACFT'S LOW ALT & SUGGESTED A CLIMB 'AT LEAST ABOVE 3000 FT.' AT ABT 2216:55, RADAR CTC WAS REACQUIRED & CTLR TOLD PLT HE WAS 8 MI NORTH OF NAPA; TO THIS, THE PLT TRANSMITTED, 'OK, (PAUSE) ITS ALL FLAT COUNTRY OUT HERE I THINK ISN'T IT' & THE CTLR REPLIED 'YEA.' AT 2218:19, CTLR ISSUED HDG OF 080 DEG & ASKED ABT ACFT'S ALT. WHEN PLT SAID 2500', CTLR ADZD 2900' MTN WAS ABT 1 MI RGT OF COURSE. AT 2219:45, CTLR ADZD MTN PEAK WAS LESS THAN 1 MI NE OF ACFT. PLT INDCD HE WOULD TURN LEFT, BUT SOON THEREAFTER, ACFT CRASHED NR TOP OF A RIDGE AT 2450 FT MSL. APRX 12 MI ESE AT TRAVIS AFB (ELEV 62 FT), 2155 PST WX WAS IN PART: 1200' SCT, 2500' SCT, 5000' OVC, & VIS 7 MI WITH LGT RAIN.
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: 21,000 hours in all; 25 in the last 90 days
- Medical certificate: Class 1 (valid medical--w/ waivers/lim.)
- Seat: unk
The aircraft
- Last inspection: inspection type not recorded, January 2, 2000
- Maximum gross weight: 2,900 lb
- Seats: 4
- Landing gear: retractable
- Engine: Continental TSIO-360-F (piston); 0 hours total
- Fire on the ground
The flight
- Departed from: HWD Hayward CA at 6:00 am
- Destination: Davis CA
- Flight plan: VFR
- Runway 0
Weather at the time
- Light: night, dark
- Wind: from 180° at 10 knots
- Sky: overcast; not recorded
- Temperature: 48°F (9°C), dew point 46°F (8°C)
- Observation at 5:55 am from SUU, 12 miles away
Injuries
| Fatal | Serious | Minor | None | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Crew | 1 | |||
| Passengers | 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.