Piper 18-150 accident near Tahoe City, California, May 22, 1982
On May 22, 1982 at about 5:55 pm local time, a Piper 18-150, registered N2881P, was destroyed in an accident near Tahoe City, California. It was a flight of an unrecorded kind under general aviation rules (Part 91). 2 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 22, 1982 · about 5:55 pm local time
- Place
- Tahoe City, California
- Type
- Accident
- Injuries
- 2 people were killed.
- Weather
- visual conditions (good weather)
- Aircraft
- Piper 18-150
- Registration
- N2881P · registry record · serial 184478
- Damage
- Destroyed
- Flight
- Flight of an unrecorded kind · general aviation rules (Part 91)
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
THE FLOAT EQUIPPED AIRCRAFT DEPARTED ON A LOCAL PHOTOGRAPHY MISSION. THE PASSENGER WANTED TO TAKE AERIAL PHOTOGRAPHS OF THE CITY AREA. AFTER FLYING AROUND THE AREA FOR ABOUT 25 MINUTES, THE AIRCRAFT CRASHED ON A STREET. A WITNESS OBSERVED THE AIRCRAFT FLYING AT LOW ALTITUDE. HE STATED THAT THE PLANE WAS GOING VERY SLOW WHEN IT TURNED RIGHT AND THEN SEEM TO STALL AND GO STRAIGHT DOWN. A TEARDOWN OF THE ENGINE REVEALED NO ABNORMAL CONDITIONS.
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: flight instructor, commercial pilot
- Ratings: single-engine land; single-engine sea; instrument: airplane
- Flight time: 791 hours in all; 17 in this make and model
- Medical certificate: Class 2 (valid medical--no waivers/lim.)
- Seat: unk
The aircraft
- Airframe total time: 2,284 hours
- Last inspection: inspection type not recorded; 19 hours since
- Maximum gross weight: 1,500 lb
- Seats: 2
- Landing gear: fixed
- Engine: Lycoming O-320 (piston); 0 hours total
- Operator: Cal Vada Aircraft Incorporated
The flight
- Departed from: Tahoe City CA at 9:30 am
- Destination: Tahoe City CA
- Flight plan: none
- Runway 0
Weather at the time
- Light: daylight
- Visibility: 30 statute miles
- Sky: not recorded; not recorded
- Temperature: 131°F (55°C), dew point 0°F (-18°C)
- Altimeter: 30.00 inHg
Injuries
| Fatal | Serious | Minor | None | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Crew | 1 | |||
| Passengers | 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.