Cessna 172N accident near Lake Wohlford, California, January 30, 1983
On January 30, 1983 at about 9:30 pm local time, a Cessna 172N, registered N517OK, was substantially damaged in an accident near Lake Wohlford, California (Lake Wohlford airport). It was a personal flight under general aviation rules (Part 91). No one was hurt; 4 people were 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
- January 30, 1983 · about 9:30 pm local time
- Place
- Lake Wohlford, California · Lake Wohlford · map
- Type
- Accident
- Injuries
- No one was hurt; 4 people were on board or involved.
- Weather
- visual conditions (good weather)
- Aircraft
- Cessna 172N · all 172Ns on the register
- Registration
- N517OK · no longer on the register · serial 17273997
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Personal flight · general aviation rules (Part 91)
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
THE ACFT RAN OFF THE DEPARTURE END OF THE RUNWAY DURING AN ABORTED TAKEOFF AND NOSED OVER. THE PILOT STARTED A TAKEOFF ON A 1500 FOOT DRY RUNWAY. AFTER ABOUT 1000 FEET OF RUNWAY HAD BEEN USED THE PILOT DECIDED TO ABORT THE TAKEOFF. BRAKES WERE APPLIED AND THE ACFT SKIDDED 350 FEET ON ASPHALT, RAN THROUGH A LARGE PUDDLE OF WATER AND SKIDDED ANOTHER 145 FEET ON DIRT RUNWAY. AT THE RUNWAYS END THE ACFT WAS MOVING SLOWLY AS IT STARTED DOWN AN INCLINE. DURING THIS TIME THE NOSE GEAR DUG IN AND THE ACFT NOSED OVER.
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: 121 hours in all; 40 in this make and model; 46 in the last 90 days; 89 as pilot in command
- Medical certificate: Class 3 (valid medical--no waivers/lim.)
- Seat: left
The aircraft
- Airframe total time: 1,738 hours
- Last inspection: inspection type not recorded, September 28, 1982; 55 hours since
- Maximum gross weight: 2,300 lb
- Seats: 4
- Landing gear: fixed
- Engine: Lycoming O-320H (piston); 0 hours total
- Operator: Alladin Aviation
The flight
- Destination: CRQ Carlsbad CA
- Flight plan: none
- Runway 21, 1,500 ft by 100 ft
Weather at the time
- Light: daylight
- Wind: from 290° at 7 knots
- Visibility: 20 statute miles
- Sky: scat at 3,500 ft
- Temperature: 0°F (-18°C), dew point 0°F (-18°C)
Injuries
| Fatal | Serious | Minor | None | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Crew | 1 | |||
| Passengers | 3 |
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.