Piper PA-38-112 accident near S. Lake Tahoe, California, September 13, 1983
On September 13, 1983 at about 11:36 pm local time, a Piper PA-38-112, registered N9734T, was destroyed in an accident near S. Lake Tahoe, California (S. Lake Tahoe airport). It was a personal flight under general aviation rules (Part 91). 1 person was killed and 1 person was seriously injured. 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 13, 1983 · about 11:36 pm local time
- Place
- S. Lake Tahoe, California · S. Lake Tahoe
- Type
- Accident
- Injuries
- 1 person was killed and 1 person was seriously injured.
- Weather
- visual conditions (good weather)
- Aircraft
- Piper PA-38-112 · all PA-38-112s on the register
- Registration
- N9734T · no longer on the register · serial 38-78A0175
- Damage
- Destroyed
- Flight
- Personal flight · general aviation rules (Part 91)
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
THE ACFT CRASHED DURING LOW ALT TURN FOLLOWING TAKEOFF FROM THE SO. LAKE TAHOE ARPT. THE TOWER CONTROLLER ADVISED THE PLT, AFTER TAKEOFF, THAT HE COULD TURN AND CIRCLE THE VALLEY TO GAIN ALT BEFORE PROCEEDING ON COURSE. THE ACFT MADE ONE 360 DEG TURN AND STARTED ANOTHER. ABOUT HALFWAY THROUGH THE TURN IT BEGAN TO DESCEND AND THE ACFT'S LEFT WING STRUCK THEGROUND. ACCORDING TO WITNESSES THE ENG SOUNDED NORMAL AND 'REVVED' UP BEFORE IMPACT. INVESTIGATION REVEALED THAT THE DENSITY ALT AT THE TIME OF ACCIDENT WAS ABOUT 8500 FT MSL. IN ADDITION, ALTHOUGH THE ACFT WAS FOUND WITHIN CG LIMITS, CALCULATIONS REVEALED THAT THE MAXIMUM ALLOWABLE GW LIMITS WERE EXCEEDED BEFORE AND AT THE TIME OF ACCIDENT. NO OTHER AIRCRAFT DISCREPANCIES WERE NOTED ATTRIBUTABLE TO THE ACCIDENT.
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: 163 hours in all; 100 in this make and model; 4 in the last 90 days; 1 in the last 30 days; 99 as pilot in command
- Medical certificate: Class 2 (valid medical--no waivers/lim.)
- Seat: left
The aircraft
- Airframe total time: 1,234 hours
- Last inspection: annual inspection, March 11, 1983; 15 hours since
- Maximum gross weight: 1,670 lb
- Seats: 2
- Landing gear: fixed
- Engine: Lycoming O-235-L2C (piston); 0 hours total
The flight
- Destination: LAS Las Vegas NV
- Flight plan: VFR
- Runway 18, 8,544 ft by 150 ft
Weather at the time
- Light: dawn
- Wind: from 190° at 10 knots
- Visibility: 30 statute miles
- Sky: scat
- Temperature: 75°F (24°C), dew point 50°F (10°C)
- Altimeter: 30.00 inHg
- Observation at 11:36 pm from TVL, 1 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.