Piper PA-28-236 accident near Dorrington, California, October 23, 2010
On October 23, 2010 at about 9:27 pm local time, a Piper PA-28-236, registered N228KK, was substantially damaged in an accident during enroute (cruise) near Dorrington, California. It was a personal flight under general aviation rules (Part 91). 1 person had minor injuries. The weather was instrument conditions (cloud, fog or low visibility).
The NTSB's probable cause their words, unchanged
The pilot’s failure to use carburetor heat while cruising in carburetor icing conditions, which resulted in a loss of engine power.
Source: NTSB aviation accident database, copy made October 5, 2026. Docket and reports at the NTSB.
What the record shows
- Date
- October 23, 2010 · about 9:27 pm local time
- Place
- Dorrington, California · map
- Type
- Accident
- Injuries
- 1 person had minor injuries.
- Weather
- instrument conditions (cloud, fog or low visibility)
- Aircraft
- Piper PA-28-236 · all PA-28-236s on the register
- Registration
- N228KK · registry record · serial 28-7911056
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Personal flight · general aviation rules (Part 91)
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
The pilot reported that, while the airplane was level at 15,000 feet in instrument meteorological conditions, he failed to apply carburetor heat to the engine. After several minutes, the engine began losing power, and the airplane was not able to sustain flight. During the descent for a forced landing in mountainous terrain, the airplane descended below the cloud base about 2,000 feet above the ground, and the pilot observed a road and a clearing. During the landing rollout, the airplane impacted trees, which severed its wings. Icing probability charts indicated that carburetor ice was probable under the atmospheric conditions in which the airplane had been flying. The pilot reported that if he had applied the carburetor heat during flight, the accident likely would not have occurred.
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 engine power (partial) during enroute (cruise) defining event
- Off-field or emergency landing during emergency descent
- Collision with terrain or object (not controlled flight into terrain) during landing (landing roll)
The NTSB's findings
- cause Personnel issues › Action/decision › Action › Forgotten action/omission › Pilot
- cause Environmental issues › Conditions/weather/phenomena › Temp/humidity/pressure › Conducive to carburetor icing › Effect on operation
- Environmental issues › Physical environment › Object/animal/substance › Tree(s) › Not specified
- cause Aircraft › Aircraft systems › Ice/rain protection system › Intake anti › ice, deice › Not used/operated
Pilot
- Certificate: private
- Ratings: multi-engine land; single-engine land; instrument: airplane
- Flight time: 1,195 hours in all; 1,033 in this make and model; 17 in the last 90 days; 3 in the last 30 days; 1,130 as pilot in command
- Last flight review: August 22, 2009
- Medical certificate: Class 3 (with waivers/limitations)
- Seat: left
- Injury: minor injuries
The aircraft
- Airframe total time: 3,688 hours
- Last inspection: annual inspection
- Maximum gross weight: 3,000 lb
- Seats: 4
- Landing gear: fixed
- Engine: Lycoming O-540-J3A5D (piston); 0 hours total
The flight
- Departed from: TRK Truckee CA at 8:30 pm
- Destination: L08 Borrego Valley CA
- Flight plan: IFR
Weather at the time
- Light: daylight
- Wind: from 190° at 11 knots
- Visibility: 8 statute miles
- Sky: overcast at 2,900 ft
- Temperature: 46°F (8°C), dew point 41°F (5°C)
- Altimeter: 30.06 inHg
- Observation at 8:53 pm from TVL, 38 miles away
Injuries
| Fatal | Serious | Minor | None | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Flight 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.