Pyka INC PELICAN accident near Winters, California, May 14, 2022
On May 14, 2022 at about 7:15 pm local time, a 2022 Pyka INC PELICAN, registered N605PK, was substantially damaged in an accident during maneuvering (low-alt flying) near Winters, California. It was a personal flight under general aviation rules (Part 91). No one was hurt. The weather was visual conditions (good weather).
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The NTSB's probable cause their words, unchanged
Delamination of the uncrewed aircraft systems’ right wing skin surfaces from the wing spar that resulted in a spin and impact with terrain.
Source: NTSB aviation accident database, copy made October 4, 2026. Docket and reports at the NTSB.
What the record shows
- Date
- May 14, 2022 · about 7:15 pm local time
- Place
- Winters, California · map
- Type
- Accident
- Injuries
- No one was hurt.
- Weather
- visual conditions (good weather)
- Aircraft
- Pyka INC PELICAN 7, built 2022
- Registration
- N605PK · registry record · serial 16056PS0025
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Personal flight · general aviation rules (Part 91)
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
The operator of the uncrewed aircraft system (UAS) reported that, during a demonstration flight at a company event, the UAS made a left turn and the right wing skin, along with the flaps and ailerons, separated from the UAS. He further reported that, after separating the wing skins opened and floated behind the UAS as it rolled right, spun, and impacted terrain. Substantial damage was identified to the entire UAS, to include the fuselage, both wings, and empennage Postaccident examination by a Federal Aviation Administration inspector revealed that the right-wing skin had delaminated/separated from the wing spar consistent with a failed bond between the wing skin and wing spar.
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
- Sys/Comp malf/fail (non-power) during maneuvering (low-alt flying) defining event
- Aircraft structural failure during maneuvering (low-alt flying)
The NTSB's findings
- Aircraft › Aircraft structures › Wing structure › Plates/skins (on wing) › Failure
- Aircraft › Aircraft structures › Wing structure › Flight surfaces (wing) › Failure
Pilot
- Certificate: private, remote
- Ratings: single-engine land; rotorcraft: unmanned (suas)
- Flight time: 60 hours in all; 16.6 as pilot in command
- Last flight review: January 21, 2019
- Medical certificate: Class 2 (without waivers/limitations)
- Seat: none
- Injury: no injuries
Other crew
- Ratings: rotorcraft: unmanned (suas)
- Medical certificate: Unknown
- Seat: none
- Injury: no injuries
The aircraft
- Airframe total time: 9.5 hours
- Last inspection: condition inspection, February 28, 2022
- Maximum gross weight: 1,320 lb
- Seats: 0
- Landing gear: fixed
- Engine 1: Sunray DT13855 (electric); 9 hours total
- Engine 2: Sunray DT13855 (electric); 9 hours total
- Engine 3: Sunray DT13855 (electric); 9 hours total
- Engine 4: Sunray DT13855 (electric); 9 hours total
- Fire on the ground
- Operator: Pyka INC
The flight
- Flight plan: none
Weather at the time
- Light: daylight
- Wind: from 360° at 8 knots
- Visibility: 10 statute miles
- Sky: clear
- Temperature: 79°F (26°C), dew point 46°F (8°C)
- Altimeter: 30.09 inHg
- Observation at 11:55 am from KEDU, 10 miles away
Weather report (METAR): KEDU 141855Z AUTO 36008KT 320V040 10SM CLR 26/08 A3009 RMK AO1
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 WPR22LA183.