Accident Details
On July 13, 2025, at approximately 2128 Pacific daylight time, a Piper PA-28-180, registration N8375W, was substantially damaged when it crashed near Needles, California. The two pilots on board sustained fatal injuries. The airplane was being operated as a Title 14 Code of Federal Regulations Part 91 personal flight.
Flight History
According to the operator, the two pilots had rented the airplane to accumulate flight hours. Preliminary ADS-B data from a third-party service indicated that the aircraft departed North Las Vegas Airport (VGT) in Las Vegas, Nevada, at 1934. It then landed at Needles Airport (EED) in Needles, California, about one hour later. The operator received an emergency locator transmitter (ELT) alert at approximately 2133. Local law-enforcement officers observed a fire at 2140 and subsequently located the main wreckage about 1,425 feet southwest of the departure end of runway 20.
Wreckage and Impact
The airplane came to rest inverted, with thermal damage to the fuselage. The first identified point of contact (FIPC) was a ground scar approximately 225 feet north of the main wreckage, about 1,200 feet from the departure end of the runway. The debris path continued southward, with the propeller and hub assembly found at the end of the debris path, about 25 feet beyond the main wreckage. The total debris path spanned approximately 250 feet from the FIPC to the propeller. All major airplane components and control surfaces were located and identified within the debris path.
Examination
The wreckage was recovered to a secure facility for further examination.