Pipistrel Italia S R L ALPHA TRAINER accident near Paso Robles, California, June 8, 2024
On June 8, 2024 at about 7:10 pm local time, a 2018 Pipistrel Italia S R L ALPHA TRAINER, registered N208ZM, was substantially damaged in an accident during landing near Paso Robles, California (Halter Ranch Airstrip airport). It was a personal flight under general aviation rules (Part 91). No one was hurt; 2 people were on board or involved. The weather was visual conditions (good weather).
The NTSB's probable cause their words, unchanged
The pilot’s exceedance of the airplane’s critical angle of attack that resulted in an aerodynamic stall and subsequent loss of control on final approach. Contributing to the accident was the pilot’s decision to land with a tailwind.
Source: NTSB aviation accident database, copy made October 5, 2026. Docket and reports at the NTSB.
What the record shows
- Date
- June 8, 2024 · about 7:10 pm local time
- Place
- Paso Robles, California · Halter Ranch Airstrip · map
- Type
- Accident
- Injuries
- No one was hurt; 2 people were on board or involved.
- Weather
- visual conditions (good weather)
- Aircraft
- Pipistrel Italia S R L ALPHA TRAINER, built 2018
- Registration
- N208ZM · registry record · serial 920 AT 912 LSA
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Personal flight · general aviation rules (Part 91)
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
The pilot reported that he entered the traffic pattern for runway 04 and had previously received information by email from ground personnel, that the wind was from the south at 4 kts. While on final approach, the pilot initiated a forward slip to assist with the airplane’s descent and he terminated the slip, the stall warning horn sounded. After the stall warning horn sounded, the airplane “lost lift and had no control” as it descended into a vineyard located to the left of the runway. The airplane impacted the ground, rotated 180°, and came to rest upright. The wings, fuselage, and empennage sustained substantial damage. The pilot reported that there were no preaccident mechanical malfunctions or failures that would have precluded normal operation.
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 landing defining event
The NTSB's findings
- Aircraft › Aircraft oper/perf/capability › Performance/control parameters › Airspeed › Not attained/maintained
- Environmental issues › Conditions/weather/phenomena › Wind › Tailwind › Effect on equipment
- Personnel issues › Task performance › Use of equip/info › Aircraft control › Pilot
- Aircraft › Aircraft oper/perf/capability › Performance/control parameters › Angle of attack › Not attained/maintained
Pilot
- Certificate: sport pilot
- Ratings: single-engine land
- Flight time: 141 hours in all; 141 in this make and model; 12 in the last 90 days; 9 in the last 30 days; 90 as pilot in command
- Last flight review: May 24, 2023
- Medical certificate: Sport Pilot
- Seat: left
- Injury: minor injuries
Passenger
- Seat: rgt
- Injury: minor injuries
The aircraft
- Airframe total time: 163.9 hours
- Last inspection: 100-hour inspection, May 28, 2024; 4.1 hours since
- Maximum gross weight: 1,212 lb
- Seats: 2
- Landing gear: fixed
- Engine: Rotax 912UL (piston); 163 hours total
The flight
- Departed from: 3O8 Coalinga CA at 6:39 pm
- Flight plan: none
- Runway 04/2, 3,353 ft by 25 ft
Weather at the time
- Light: daylight
- Wind: from 190° at 15 knots
- Visibility: 10 statute miles
- Sky: clear
- Temperature: 70°F (21°C), dew point 54°F (12°C)
- Altimeter: 29.90 inHg
- Observation at 11:53 am from KPRB, 11 miles away
Weather report (METAR): KPRB 081853Z AUTO 19015KT 10SM CLR 21/12 A2990
Injuries
| Fatal | Serious | Minor | None | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Flight crew | 1 | |||
| Passengers | 1 |
Photographs from the investigation 1 picture from the NTSB's docket, as the NTSB released them
The NTSB's photographs with the NTSB's captions, at screen size. Open a picture to see it full size or to report one that should not be shown.
Documents from the investigation the NTSB's docket: the evidence folder behind the report
3 documents, released by the NTSB on February 11, 2025. 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 | Pilot 6120.1 | PDF, 11 pages | View Download |
| 2 | Memorandum for Record A�� Telephone Interview, Pilot | PDF, 1 page | View Download |
| 3 | Photo Array | PDF, 1 page · our copy | 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.