Cessna 172 accident near Upper Lake, California, May 8, 1982
On May 8, 1982 at about 6:38 pm local time, a Cessna 172, registered N8313E, was destroyed in an accident near Upper Lake, California (Gravelly Valley airport). It was a personal flight under general aviation rules (Part 91). 4 people were killed. 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
- May 8, 1982 · about 6:38 pm local time
- Place
- Upper Lake, California · Gravelly Valley · map
- Type
- Accident
- Injuries
- 4 people were killed.
- Weather
- visual conditions (good weather)
- Aircraft
- Cessna 172 · all 172s on the register
- Registration
- N8313E · registry record · serial 17272186
- Damage
- Destroyed
- Flight
- Personal flight · general aviation rules (Part 91)
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
WITNESSES OBSERVED THE ACFT ROLLING RIGHT & LEFT DURING THE FINAL APPROACH. THE ACFT DRIFTED TO THE RIGHT & POWER WAS APPLIED PRIOR TO THE COLLISION WITH THE TREES. NW WINDS IN EXCESS OF 25K PREVAILED. A CFI WITNESS STATED THAT IT APPEARED THE PLT WAS NOT CORRECTING FOR DRIFT PROPERLY. A PLT WHO WAS CIRCLING THE ARPT AT THE TIME OF THE ACCIDENT REPORTED THAT THE ACFT BANKED SHARPLY TO THE RIGHT PRIOR TO STRIKING THE TREES. HE FURTHER STATED THAT DURING HIS LANDING ATTEMPT THE WINDS WERE SUCH THAT HE COULD NOT NEGOTIATE A LANDING.
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: private
- Ratings: single-engine land
- Flight time: 167 hours in all; 32 in this make and model; 7 in the last 90 days; 5 in the last 30 days; 124 as pilot in command
- Medical certificate: Unknown (valid medical--no waivers/lim.)
- Seat: unk
The aircraft
- Airframe total time: 434 hours
- Last inspection: inspection type not recorded; 5 hours since
- Maximum gross weight: 2,300 lb
- Seats: 4
- Landing gear: fixed
- Engine: Lycoming O-320-H2AD (piston); 0 hours total
- Fire on the ground
- Operator: Buchanan Flying Club
The flight
- Departed from: CCR Concord CA at 10:05 am
- Destination: 047 Hendersonville NC
- Flight plan: none
- Runway 1, 5,300 ft by 237 ft
Weather at the time
- Light: daylight
- Wind: from 340° at 25 knots
- Visibility: 15 statute miles
- Sky: not recorded; clear
- Temperature: 144°F (62°C), dew point 0°F (-18°C)
Injuries
| Fatal | Serious | Minor | None | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Crew | 1 | |||
| Passengers | 3 |
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.
Other NTSB records under N8313E the same tail number, which may have belonged to a different aircraft at the time
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.