Cessna 172N accident near Newport Beach, California, September 8, 1983
On September 8, 1983 at about 9:30 am local time, a Cessna 172N, registered N734RL, was destroyed in an accident near Newport Beach, California. It was a personal flight 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
- September 8, 1983 · about 9:30 am local time
- Place
- Newport Beach, California · map
- Type
- Accident
- Injuries
- 2 people were killed.
- Weather
- visual conditions (good weather)
- Aircraft
- Cessna 172N · all 172Ns on the register
- Registration
- N734RL · no longer on the register · serial 17269054
- Damage
- Destroyed
- Flight
- Personal flight · general aviation rules (Part 91)
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
ABOUT 30 MINS BEFORE THE ACCIDENT, THE TWO PLTS STOPPED BY A HANGAR TO SAY HELLO TO AN INDIVIDUAL. THIS PERSON REPORTED THAT THE PLT APPEARED TO BE INTOXICATED; HIS SPEECH WAS SLURRED, HE COULDN'T FOCUS HIS EYES ON THINGS VERY EASILY & HE GIGGLED A LOT. THE PLTS TOOK OFF FROM THE ARPT AT ABOUT 0215. AT ABOUT 0230 A WITNESS REPORTED SHE HEARD AN ACFT ROAR VERY LOW OVER HER RESIDENCE TRAVELING TOWARD THE OCEAN. SHE SAID THE ACFT LIT UP HER BEDROOM. AT 0241 POLICE WERE NOTIFIED OF AN ACFT CRASHING INTO THE OCEAN. BOTH WINGS EXHIBITED SEVERE CHORDWISE ACCORDIONING. THE PIC'S BLOOD ALCOHOLLEVEL WAS 0.07%. THE OTHER PAX/PLT HAD A SPLEEN ALCOHOL LEVEL OF 0.09% & THE TOX SHOWED EVIDENCE OF PHENYTOIN.
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: multi-engine land; single-engine land
- Flight time: 345 hours in all; 49 in this make and model; 2 in the last 90 days; 280 as pilot in command
- Medical certificate: Class 2 (valid medical--w/ waivers/lim.)
- Seat: left
The aircraft
- Airframe total time: 2,200 hours
- Last inspection: annual inspection, August 23, 1983; 50 hours since
- Maximum gross weight: 2,300 lb
- Seats: 2
- Landing gear: fixed
- Engine: Lycoming O-320-H2AD (piston); 0 hours total
The flight
- Departed from: Santa Ana CA at 9:15 am
- Flight plan: none
- Runway 0
- A second pilot was aboard
Weather at the time
- Light: night, dark
- Wind: from 315° at 4 knots
- Visibility: 15 statute miles
- Sky: clear
- Temperature: 72°F (22°C), dew point 61°F (16°C)
- Altimeter: 29.00 inHg
- Observation at 9:00 am from LGB, 16 miles away
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.