Piper PA-11 accident near Copperopolis, California, June 16, 2019
On June 16, 2019 at about 6:45 pm local time, a 1948 Piper PA-11, registered N209H, was destroyed in an accident during maneuvering (low-alt flying) near Copperopolis, California. It was a personal flight under general aviation rules (Part 91). 1 person was killed. The weather was visual conditions (good weather).
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The NTSB's probable cause their words, unchanged
The pilot’s failure to maintain clearance from power lines while maneuvering at a low altitude. Contributing to the accident was the pilot’s impairment from consuming alcohol before the flight.
Source: NTSB aviation accident database, copy made October 4, 2026. Docket and reports at the NTSB.
What the record shows
- Date
- June 16, 2019 · about 6:45 pm local time
- Place
- Copperopolis, California · map
- Type
- Accident
- Injuries
- 1 person was killed.
- Weather
- visual conditions (good weather)
- Aircraft
- Piper PA-11, built 1948 · all PA-11s on the register
- Registration
- N209H · no longer on the register · serial 11-500
- Damage
- Destroyed
- Flight
- Personal flight · general aviation rules (Part 91)
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
A friend of the pilot located near the lake reported that the pilot had sent him a text message, which said that he was going to do a “fly by” over the lake. The friend stated that, when he saw the airplane, it was about 150 ft above the water and that the pilot did a “wing wag” before the airplane collided with the power lines strung across the water. The airplane subsequently descended nose down into the water. Postaccident examination of the airplane and engine revealed no evidence of any preaccident mechanical malfunctions or failures that would have precluded normal operation. Toxicological tests detected a level of ethanol in the pilot’s specimens known to cause some impairment. The test results were also consistent with the pilot having recently consumed alcohol before the flight. Therefore, it is likely that the pilot’s impairment from consuming alcohol contributed to the accident.
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
- Low altitude operation/event during maneuvering (low-alt flying) defining event
The NTSB's findings
- Personnel issues › Physical › Impairment/incapacitation › Alcohol › Pilot
- Personnel issues › Psychological › Attention/monitoring › Monitoring environment › Pilot
- Aircraft › Aircraft oper/perf/capability › Performance/control parameters › Altitude › Not attained/maintained
- Environmental issues › Physical environment › Object/animal/substance › Wire › Effect on operation
Pilot
- Certificate: private
- Ratings: single-engine land
- Flight time: 450 hours in all
- Medical certificate: Class 3 (with waivers/limitations)
- Seat: frt
- Injury: fatal
The aircraft
- Last inspection: inspection type not recorded
- Maximum gross weight: 1,349 lb
- Seats: 2
- Landing gear: fixed
- Engine: Continental C85-12 (piston); 0 hours total
The flight
- Departed from: O22 Columbia CA
- Destination: KMOD Modesto CA
- Flight plan: none
Weather at the time
- Light: daylight
- Visibility: 10 statute miles
- Sky: clear
- Temperature: 84°F (29°C), dew point 54°F (12°C)
- Altimeter: 29.87 inHg
- Observation at 6:55 pm from KO22, 11 miles away
Injuries
| Fatal | Serious | Minor | None | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Flig | 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 WPR19FA173.