Ryan Aeronautical ST3KR accident near Warner Springs, California, January 11, 2011
On January 11, 2011 at about 1:24 am local time, a Ryan Aeronautical ST3KR, registered N57027, was substantially damaged in an accident during landing near Warner Springs, California (Warner Springs airport). It was a personal flight under general aviation rules (Part 91). 1 person was killed and 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 clearance from the wind sock pole during landing.
Source: NTSB aviation accident database, copy made October 4, 2026. Docket and reports at the NTSB.
What the record shows
- Date
- January 11, 2011 · about 1:24 am local time
- Place
- Warner Springs, California · Warner Springs · map
- Type
- Accident
- Injuries
- 1 person was killed and 1 person was seriously injured.
- Weather
- visual conditions (good weather)
- Aircraft
- Ryan Aeronautical ST3KR · all ST3KRs on the register
- Registration
- N57027 · no longer on the register · serial 1594
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Personal flight · general aviation rules (Part 91)
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
The pilot and passenger were conducting a local flight when it became dark and they decided to divert to a nearby airport. As they approached the unlit airport, the left wing impacted the airport wind sock pole, located to the left of the approach end of the runway. Following the impact, the airplane collided with the ground. The accident occurred 2 minutes after the end of civil twilight.
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
- Collision with terrain or object (not controlled flight into terrain) during landing defining event
The NTSB's findings
- cause Environmental issues › Physical environment › Object/animal/substance › Pole › Response/compensation
- cause Personnel issues › Psychological › Attention/monitoring › Task monitoring/vigilance › Pilot
Pilot
- Certificate: commercial pilot
- Ratings: multi-engine land; single-engine land
- Flight time: 7,000 hours in all
- Medical certificate: Class 3 (with waivers/limitations)
- Seat: rear
- Injury: fatal
The aircraft
- Maximum gross weight: 1,885 lb
- Seats: 2
- Landing gear: fixed
- Engine: Kinner R5 (piston); 0 hours total
The flight
- Departed from: F70 Temecula CA at 1:00 am
- Destination: CL35 Warner Springs CA
- Flight plan: none
- Runway 08, 4,700 ft by 70 ft
Weather at the time
- Light: night
- Wind: from 040° at 4 knots
- Visibility: 10 statute miles
- Sky: clear
- Temperature: 50°F (10°C), dew point 27°F (-3°C)
- Altimeter: 30.09 inHg
- Observation at 1:53 am from KRNM, 19 miles away
Injuries
| Fatal | Serious | Minor | None | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Flight 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.
About this page
Everything above comes from the NTSB's public accident database: the narrative, probable cause and findings are the NTSB's own words, and the coded tables behind its report (pilot, aircraft, flight, weather, injuries, sequence of events) are written out in plain English. Pilots' ages, home towns and medical details are left out on purpose. The documents and photographs are the NTSB's docket, the folder of records gathered during the investigation, shown as the NTSB released them (the NTSB redacts some personal details first) and listed under the NTSB's own titles. This site's own text never names pilots, passengers or anyone else involved. A preliminary report describes what is known soon after the event and can change; the final report, with the probable cause, usually follows one to two years later and this page is refreshed when it does. Case number WPR11LA096.