Stinson V77 accident near Auburn, California, January 24, 2020
On January 24, 2020 at about 5:56 pm local time, a Stinson V77, registered N50249, was destroyed in an accident during enroute near Auburn, California. It was a personal flight under general aviation rules (Part 91). 2 people were killed and 1 person was seriously injured. The weather was visual conditions (good weather).
The NTSB's probable cause their words, unchanged
A total loss of engine power due to a combination of mechanical engine anomalies. Contributing to the accident was inadequate maintenance that failed to identify the engine anomalies.
Source: NTSB aviation accident database, copy made October 5, 2026. Docket and reports at the NTSB.
What the record shows
- Date
- January 24, 2020 · about 5:56 pm local time
- Place
- Auburn, California · map
- Type
- Accident
- Injuries
- 2 people were killed and 1 person was seriously injured.
- Weather
- visual conditions (good weather)
- Aircraft
- Stinson V77 No Series
- Registration
- N50249 · no longer on the register · serial 77-458
- Damage
- Destroyed
- Flight
- Personal flight · general aviation rules (Part 91)
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
The pilot departed on a local flight with two passengers. Several witnesses reported that they heard the airplane’s engine backfiring and sputtering and subsequently heard the engine quit. The surviving passenger, who was seated in the front right seat, stated that the engine lost power and there was nowhere to land. The airplane subsequently impacted heavily wooded terrain about 1 mile from the departure airport. Postaccident examination of the engine revealed that the No. 7 cylinder intake valve was stuck open. The No. 2 cylinder front spark plug was defective, and the Nos. 2- and 4-cylinders’ ignition wires were frayed, worn, and displayed arcing, which likely led to erratic operation or a lack of ignition in these two cylinders. The culmination of these issues most likely led to the engine running rough, backfiring, and subsequently losing total power. An annual inspection was accomplished on the airframe and engine about 2 months before the accident. General maintenance practices and the inspection should have identified the anomalies that were found during the postaccident engine examination.
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 (total) during enroute defining event
- Collision with terrain or object (not controlled flight into terrain) during enroute
The NTSB's findings
- Aircraft › Aircraft power plant › Engine (reciprocating) › Recip eng cyl section › Failure
- Aircraft › Aircraft power plant › Engine (reciprocating) › Recip eng wiring › Damaged/degraded
- Aircraft › Aircraft power plant › Ignition system › Spark plugs/igniters › Damaged/degraded
- Environmental issues › Physical environment › Terrain › Mountainous/hilly terrain › Contributed to outcome
- Personnel issues › Task performance › Maintenance › Scheduled/routine maintenance › Maintenance personnel
Pilot
- Certificate: commercial pilot
- Ratings: single-engine land; instructor: airplane single-engine; instrument: airplane
- Flight time: 650 hours in all
- Medical certificate: Class 2 (with waivers/limitations)
- Seat: left
- Injury: fatal
Pilot-Rated Passenger
- Certificate: private
- Ratings: single-engine land
- Flight time: 1,532 hours in all
- Medical certificate: Class 3 (with waivers/limitations)
- Seat: rear
- Injury: fatal
Pilot-Rated Passenger
- Certificate: private
- Ratings: single-engine land
- Flight time: 250 hours in all
- Medical certificate: Class 2
- Seat: rgt
- Injury: serious injuries
The aircraft
- Last inspection: annual inspection, December 1, 2019
- Landing gear: fixed
- Engine: Pratt & Whitney 985 (piston); 0 hours total
The flight
- Departed from: AUN Auburn CA at 5:40 pm
- Destination: AUN Auburn CA
- Flight plan: none
- A second pilot was aboard
Weather at the time
- Light: daylight
- Visibility: 10 statute miles
- Sky: clear
- Temperature: 57°F (14°C), dew point 50°F (10°C)
- Altimeter: 30.19 inHg
- Observation at 5:55 pm from KAUN, 1 miles away
Injuries
| Fatal | Serious | Minor | None | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Flight crew | 1 | |||
| Passengers | 1 | 1 |
Documents from the investigation the NTSB's docket: the evidence folder behind the report
13 documents, released by the NTSB on May 4, 2022. 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 | Record of Email | PDF, 2 pages | View Download |
| 2 | Record of Conversation | PDF, 4 pages | View Download |
| 3 | Witness Reports | PDF, 2 pages | View Download |
| 4 | Flight Route Diagrams | PDF, 1 page | View Download |
| 5 | On Site Examination Summary | PDF, 5 pages | View Download |
| 6 | Engine Examination Summary | PDF, 5 pages | View Download |
| 7 | Aircraft Annual Logbook Excerpt | PDF, 1 page | View Download |
| 8 | Engine Logbook Excerpts | PDF, 3 pages | View Download |
| 9 | Engine Manual Excerpt | PDF, 1 page | View Download |
| 10 | Flight Route Data | PDF, 8 pages | View Download |
| 11 | Release of Aircraft Wreckage, NTSB Form 6120.15 | PDF, 1 page | View Download |
| 12 | Toxicological Report Pilot | PDF, 1 page | View Download |
| 13 | Toxicological Report Passenger | PDF, 2 pages | View Download |
The same docket at the NTSB · documents without a copy here are fetched from the NTSB when you open them.
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.