Piper PA 22-135 accident near Livermore, California, June 2, 2015
On June 2, 2015 at about 3:58 am local time, a 1953 Piper PA 22-135, registered N1348C, was destroyed in an accident during maneuvering near Livermore, California (Livermore airport). It was a personal flight under general aviation rules (Part 91). 1 person was killed. The weather was visual conditions (good weather).
The NTSB's probable cause their words, unchanged
A loss of control for reasons that could not be determined, because examination of the airframe and engine revealed no anomalies that would have precluded normal operation.
Source: NTSB aviation accident database, copy made October 12, 2026. Docket and reports at the NTSB.
What the record shows
- Date
- June 2, 2015 · about 3:58 am local time · cases in 2015
- Place
- Livermore, California · Livermore · cases near this airport · map
- Type
- Accident
- Injuries
- 1 person was killed.
- Weather
- visual conditions (good weather)
- Aircraft
- Piper PA 22-135, built 1953 · all PA 22-135s on the register
- Registration
- N1348C · no longer on the register · serial 22-1141
- Damage
- Destroyed
- Flight
- Personal flight · general aviation rules (Part 91)
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
The airline transport pilot departed on a local night flight. Shortly after takeoff, he reported a control difficulty to air traffic control tower personnel; he stated that he was going to make a circle, and troubleshoot the issue. There were no further transmissions from the pilot. A witness about 1/2 mile away from the airport said that the airplane caught his attention when he heard the engine cut out. He looked up, but couldn't see the airplane as it was dusk. He finally saw two outboard lights, one on each wing, and realized that the airplane was in a nose dive. According to the witness, it was not spinning, and the engine sounded like it was at full throttle. Radar data indicated that the airplane departed about on runway heading, and about 2 minutes into the flight it began a 180° turn. The airplane lost about 1,100 ft of altitude in 18 seconds during the turn. The radar track continued in a straight line until ground impact. Postaccident examination revealed no anomalies that would have precluded normal operation of the airframe or engine or would have caused a control difficulty.
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 control in flight during maneuvering defining event
- Unknown or undetermined during uncontrolled descent
The NTSB's findings
- cause Not determined › Not determined › (general) › (general) › Unknown/Not determined
Pilot
- Certificate: airline transport pilot, commercial pilot, flight engineer
- Ratings: multi-engine land; single-engine land; instrument: airplane
- Flight time: 26,501 hours in all
- Medical certificate: Class 3 (with waivers/limitations)
- Seat: unk
- Injury: fatal
The aircraft
- Airframe total time: 3,612 hours
- Last inspection: annual inspection, June 1, 2014
- Maximum gross weight: 2,000 lb
- Landing gear: fixed
- Engine: Lycoming O-290-D2 (piston); 3,614 hours total
- Fire on the ground
The flight
- Departed from: LVK Livermore CA at 3:52 am
- Destination: LVK Livermore CA
- Flight plan: none
Weather at the time
- Light: dawn
- Wind: from 280° at 11 knots
- Visibility: 10 statute miles
- Sky: a few clouds at 2,200 ft
- Temperature: 63°F (17°C), dew point 54°F (12°C)
- Altimeter: 30.03 inHg
- Observation at 3:53 am from KLVK, 3 miles away
Injuries
| Fatal | Serious | Minor | None | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Flight crew | 1 |
Documents from the investigation the NTSB's docket: the evidence folder behind the report
10 documents, released by the NTSB on July 11, 2017. 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 | NTSB Materials Lab Exam | PDF, 1 page | View Download |
| 2 | Witness Statement | PDF, 1 page | View Download |
| 3 | radar Track | PDF, 5 pages | View Download |
| 4 | NTSB Accident Site Summary | PDF, 2 pages | View Download |
| 5 | NTSB Airframe and Engine Examination | PDF, 9 pages | View Download |
| 6 | Maintenance Logbook Excerpts | PDF, 4 pages | View Download |
| 7 | Pilot Logbook Excerpts | PDF, 2 pages | View Download |
| 8 | Statement of Party Representatives to NTSB Investigation | PDF, 2 pages | View Download |
| 9 | Toxicological Report | PDF, 1 page | View Download |
| 10 | NTSB Site Photos | PDF, 7 pages | 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
- N1348C: not on the register today · the record of its deregistration
- Piper PA-22 Tri-Pacer and Colt 2,942 registered today · the model family and its accident history
- Piper 44,844 aircraft on the register
- Engine: Lycoming O-290-D2 58 aircraft carry this series today · as the NTSB recorded it
- Livermore Municipal · nearest airport
- Accidents and incidents in California 9,069 since 1982 · 1,087 in the last ten years
- California 27,673 aircraft registered
The whole map of how records connect · these connections as data: /graph/accident/WPR15FA174.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.