Cessna 177 accident near Grass Valley, California, July 16, 1983
On July 16, 1983 at about 6:54 pm local time, a Cessna 177, registered N3407T, was destroyed in an accident near Grass Valley, California (Alta Sierra airport). It was a personal flight under general aviation rules (Part 91). 3 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
- July 16, 1983 · about 6:54 pm local time
- Place
- Grass Valley, California · Alta Sierra · map
- Type
- Accident
- Injuries
- 3 people were killed.
- Weather
- visual conditions (good weather)
- Aircraft
- Cessna 177 · all 177s on the register
- Registration
- N3407T · no longer on the register · serial 17700707
- Damage
- Destroyed
- Flight
- Personal flight · general aviation rules (Part 91)
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
THE PILOT HAD FLOWN TO THE ARPT 5 TIMES BEFORE AND WAS AWARE THAT ALL LANDINGS WERE TO THE NORTH AND TAKEOFFS TO THE SOUTH ON THE SINGLE RWY 01-19. THIS WAS FOR NOISE ABATEMENT AT THE NORTH END OF THE RWY AND BECAUSE OF THE RWY UPSLOPE TO THE NORTH. AT ABOUT 1150 AN ACFT BELIEVED TO BE THE ACCIDENT ACFT WAS SEEN BY THE DAUGHTER AND SON-IN-LAW OVER THEIR HOUSE SOUTH OF THE ARPT HEADING TOWARD THE ARPT AS IF TO LAND ON RWY 01. AT 1154 THE ACFT WAS SEEN NORTH OF THE ARPT FLYING LOW WHERE IT STRUCK A TREE, PULLED UP, STALLED AND ROLLED OVER ON ITS LEFT SIDE TO CRASH NOSE FIRST. THE FLAPS WERE FOUND RETRACTED IN THE WRECKAGE. THE OWNER'S MANUAL STATES THAT IN A GO AROUND CLIMB APPLY FULL POWER SMOOTHLY, REMOVE CARBURETOR HEAT AND REDUCE FLAPS PROMPTLY TO THE HALF POSITION. AT 75 MPH RETRACT FLAPS SLOWLY TO FULL UP. IF OBSTACLES ARE AHEAD THE WING FLAPS SHOULD BE LEFT AT HALF UNTIL OBSTACLES ARE CLEARED.
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: 105 hours in all; 104 in this make and model; 16 in the last 90 days; 3 in the last 30 days; 77 as pilot in command
- Medical certificate: Class 3 (valid medical--no waivers/lim.)
- Seat: unk
The aircraft
- Last inspection: inspection type not recorded
- Maximum gross weight: 2,350 lb
- Seats: 4
- Landing gear: fixed
- Engine: Lycoming O-320-E2D (piston); 0 hours total
- Fire on the ground
The flight
- Departed from: HAF Half Moon Bay CA
- Flight plan: none
- Runway 1, 3,000 ft by 50 ft
Weather at the time
- Light: daylight
- Wind: from 190° at 5 knots
- Visibility: 50 statute miles
- Sky: clear
- Temperature: 81°F (27°C), dew point 0°F (-18°C)
Injuries
| Fatal | Serious | Minor | None | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Crew | 1 | |||
| Passengers | 2 |
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.