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 November 2, 2026. Docket and reports at the NTSB.
What the record shows
- Date
- January 11, 2011 · about 1:24 am local time · cases in 2011
- Place
- Warner Springs, California · Warner Springs · cases near this airport · 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 during takeoff/land 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
3 documents, released by the NTSB on October 7, 2011. View them here, or download them; the NTSB redacts some personal details before release, and this site shows the NTSB's own titles rather than its file names.
| # | Document | What it is | |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Police Report Excerpt | PDF, 1 page | View Download |
| 2 | Record of Conversation- Airport Manager | PDF, 1 page | View Download |
| 3 | Photo 1. Aircraft at Accident Site | PDF, 1 page | View Download |
The same docket at the NTSB · documents without a copy here are fetched from the NTSB when you open them.
Connections how this case links to the rest of the register
- N57027: not on the register today · the record of its deregistration
- Ryan Aeronautical ST3 117 registered today · the model family and its accident history
- Ryan Aeronautical 168 aircraft on the register
- Engine: Kinner R5 157 aircraft carry this series today · as the NTSB recorded it
- French Valley Airport · departed from
- Warner Springs · bound for
- Accidents and incidents in California 9,080 since 1982 · 1,094 in the last ten years
- California 28,279 aircraft registered
The whole map of how records connect · these connections as data: /graph/accident/WPR11LA096.json.
The bigger picture in Aviation Analytics: accidents over time since 1982, by model, by phase of flight and conditions, by place and on the map.
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 does not name anyone involved, its policy at this time. A preliminary report can change; the final report usually follows one to two years later, and the page is refreshed when it does.