Cessna 172 accident near Mckinleyville, California, June 12, 1982
On June 12, 1982 at about 10:45 pm local time, a Cessna 172, registered N64187, was substantially damaged in an accident near Mckinleyville, California (Arcata airport). It was a personal 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
- June 12, 1982 · about 10:45 pm local time
- Place
- Mckinleyville, California · Arcata
- Type
- Accident
- Injuries
- No one was hurt; 1 person was on board or involved.
- Weather
- visual conditions (good weather)
- Aircraft
- Cessna 172 · all 172s on the register
- Registration
- N64187 · no longer on the register · serial 17265073
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Personal flight · general aviation rules (Part 91)
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
THE AIRCRAFT STRUCK AND SEVERED 3 POWER LINES ABOUT 3 MILES SOUTH OF THE DEPARTURE AIRPORT. PRIOR TO THE ACCIDENT, IT WAS OBSERVED FLYING AT LOW ALTITUDE IN THE VICINITY. THE PILOT STATED THAT HE FLEW BY A MOBILE HOME PARK TO VERIFY THAT A TRAILER HAD BEEN MOVED. HE ALSO STATED THAT THE ENGINE WAS NOT DEVELOPING FULL POWER WHEN HE DEPARTED THE MOBILE HOME AREA AND THAT HE ENCOUNTERED TURBULENCE AND A DOWNDRAFT DURING CLIMB-OUT. HE THEN STRUCK THE LINES; HOWEVER, THE AIRCRAFT HAD SUFFICIENT POWER TO FLY THROUGH AND SEVERE THE 12KV LINES, WHICH WERE ABOUT 1/2 INCH IN DIAMETER, AND THEN CLIMB UP TO A SUFFICIENTLY HIGH ALTITUDE TO FLY BACK TO THE AIRPORT AND LAND. THE ENTIRE ENGINE COWLING WAS TORN LOOSE FROM THE EDGE OF THE FIREWALL ATTACH POINTS; THE PROPELLER TIPS WERE BENT FORWARD ABOUT 3 INCHES; 3 OF THE 4 LEFT WING STRUT ATTACH RIVETS AT THE WING ATTACH POINT WERE SHEARED; A NUMBER OF ELECTRIC ARC BURN SPOTS WERE FOUND ON THE PROPELLER AND LEFT WING SKIN.
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: 470 hours in all; 388 in this make and model; 95 in the last 90 days
- Medical certificate: Class 2 (valid medical--w/ waivers/lim.)
- Seat: unk
The aircraft
- Airframe total time: 27 hours
- Last inspection: inspection type not recorded; 0 hours since
- Maximum gross weight: 2,300 lb
- Seats: 4
- Landing gear: fixed
- Engine: Lycoming O-320-E2D (piston); 0 hours total
The flight
- Departed from: ACV Mckinleyville CA at 3:40 pm
- Destination: ACV Mckinleyville CA
- Flight plan: none
- Runway 31, 5,000 ft
Weather at the time
- Light: daylight
- Wind: from 310° at 16 knots
- Visibility: 15 statute miles
- Sky: overcast at 2,000 ft; not recorded
- Temperature: 135°F (57°C), dew point 0°F (-18°C)
- Altimeter: 30.00 inHg
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.