Beech A24R accident near Near Mt. Shasta, California, May 17, 1982
On May 17, 1982 at about 8:15 pm local time, a Beech A24R, registered N9715L, was destroyed in an accident near Near Mt. Shasta, California. 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 17, 1982 · about 8:15 pm local time
- Place
- Near Mt. Shasta, California
- Type
- Accident
- Injuries
- 4 people were killed.
- Weather
- visual conditions (good weather)
- Aircraft
- Beech A24R · all A24Rs on the register
- Registration
- N9715L · no longer on the register · serial MC 92
- Damage
- Destroyed
- Flight
- Personal flight · general aviation rules (Part 91)
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
THE FLIGHT ORIGINATED AT RENO, NV, BUT THE PILOT LANDED AT RED BLUFF, CA AFTER RECEIVING AN IN-FLIGHT WEATHER BRIEFING. AFTER LANDING, HE OBTAINED ANOTHER WEATHER BRIEFING AND WAS ADVISED THAT VFR FLIGHT WAS NOT RECOMMENDED. HE THEN FILED A VFR FLIGHT PLAN AFTER REPORTING THAT THE PASSENGERS WERE ANXIOUS TO GET HOME, OTHERWISE HE WOULD STAY. THE FLIGHT PLAN WAS FILED FOR 8500 FT. THERE WERE NO KNOWN COMMUNICATIONS WITH THE AIRCRAFT AFTER THE PILOT ACTIVATED HIS FLIGHT PLAN. THE PLANE COLLIDED WITH TREES AND CRASHED ON DOWNSLOPING TERRAIN ABOUT 12 MI NORTHEAST OF MT SHASTA. THE IMPACT OCCURRED ON A SOUTHERLY HEADING AT ABOUT 7000 FT MSL. ACCORDING TO A WEATHER STUDY, THERE WOULD HAVE BEEN EXTENSIVE CLOUDS BETWEEN 5500 AND 10,000 FT WITH SCATTERED RAIN SHOWERS. ALSO, THERE WOULD HAVE BEEN MIXED RIME AND CLEAR ICING IN CLOUDS AND RAIN SHOWERS ABOVE APPROXIMATELY 6300 FT AND TURBULENCE WAS FORECASTED BELOW 18,000 FT.
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: 208 hours in all; 115 in this make and model; 19 in the last 90 days; 5 in the last 30 days; 154 as pilot in command
- Medical certificate: Class 3 (valid medical--no waivers/lim.)
- Seat: unk
The aircraft
- Airframe total time: 1,351 hours
- Last inspection: inspection type not recorded; 25 hours since
- Maximum gross weight: 2,750 lb
- Seats: 4
- Landing gear: retractable
- Engine: Lycoming IO-360-A1B (piston); 0 hours total
The flight
- Departed from: RDD Redding CA at 12:42 pm
- Destination: 3S8 Grants Pass OR
- Flight plan: VFR
- Runway 0
Weather at the time
- Light: daylight
- Wind: from 310° at 12 knots
- Visibility: 15 statute miles
- Sky: not recorded; not recorded
- Temperature: 131°F (55°C), dew point 0°F (-18°C)
- Altimeter: 29.00 inHg
- Observation at 12:52 pm from MHS, 20 miles away
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.
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.