Piper PA-18 accident near Lake Berryessa, California, August 11, 1982
On August 11, 1982 at about 3:00 pm local time, a Piper PA-18, registered N63822, was substantially damaged in an accident near Lake Berryessa, California (Gamble Ranch airport). It was a business flight under general aviation rules (Part 91). No one was hurt; 1 person was on board or involved. The weather was visual conditions (good weather).
The NTSB's probable cause their words, unchanged
The NTSB has not yet published a probable cause for this accident. Investigations usually take one to two years; this page updates when the final report is released.
Source: NTSB aviation accident database, copy made October 5, 2026. Docket and reports at the NTSB.
What the record shows
- Date
- August 11, 1982 · about 3:00 pm local time
- Place
- Lake Berryessa, California · Gamble Ranch
- Type
- Accident
- Injuries
- No one was hurt; 1 person was on board or involved.
- Weather
- visual conditions (good weather)
- Aircraft
- Piper PA-18 · all PA-18s on the register
- Registration
- N63822 · registry record · serial 18-8009023
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Business flight · general aviation rules (Part 91)
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
PILOT LANDED TOO FAST IN A NO WIND CONDITION AND GROUNDLOOPED TRYING TO STOP. HEAVY BRAKING IN GRASS CAUSED A NOSE OVER THE PILOT SAYS HE WILL LENGTHEN THE 720 FOOT RUNWAY.
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
Pilot
- Certificate: commercial pilot
- Ratings: multi-engine land
- Flight time: 3,140 hours in all; 130 in this make and model; 8 in the last 90 days; 3,140 as pilot in command
- Medical certificate: Class 2 (valid medical--w/ waivers/lim.)
- Seat: unk
The aircraft
- Airframe total time: 167 hours
- Last inspection: inspection type not recorded; 16 hours since
- Maximum gross weight: 1,750 lb
- Seats: 2
- Landing gear: fixed
- Engine: Lycoming O-320-A2B (piston); 0 hours total
The flight
- Departed from: Lake Berryessa CA at 6:30 am
- Destination: Lake Berryessa CA
- Flight plan: none
- Runway 15, 720 ft
Weather at the time
- Light: daylight
- Visibility: 15 statute miles
- Sky: not recorded; scat at 20,000 ft
- Temperature: 133°F (56°C), dew point 0°F (-18°C)
- Altimeter: 29.00 inHg
- Observation at 7:45 am from APC, 18 miles away
Injuries
| Fatal | Serious | Minor | None | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Crew | 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.
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.