Piper PA-32 accident near So. Lake Tahoe, California, February 7, 1983
On February 7, 1983 at about 10:08 pm local time, a Piper PA-32, registered N4069R, was substantially damaged in an accident near So. Lake Tahoe, California (South Lake Tahoe airport). It was a personal flight under general aviation rules (Part 91). No one was hurt; 5 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
- February 7, 1983 · about 10:08 pm local time
- Place
- So. Lake Tahoe, California · South Lake Tahoe
- Type
- Accident
- Injuries
- No one was hurt; 5 people were on board or involved.
- Weather
- visual conditions (good weather)
- Aircraft
- Piper PA-32 · all PA-32s on the register
- Registration
- N4069R · registry record · serial 40378
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Personal flight · general aviation rules (Part 91)
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
THE TAKEOFF WAS INITIATED DOWNWIND ON RUNWAY 36, WHICH WAS 8544 FT LONG AND WAS WET. THE FIELD ELEVATION WAS 6264 FT. THE AIRCRAFT WAS OBSERVED BY TOWER PERSONNEL TO ROTATE ABOUT 3000 FT DOWN THE RUNWAY, THEN CLIMB TO ABOUT 50 FT AGL. THE PILOT ELECTED TO ABORT THE TAKEOFF WHEN THE AIRCRAFT WAS NOT CLIMBING WELL. THE TOUCHDOWN WAS MADE WITH APPROXIMATELY 2000 FT OF RUNWAY REMAINING, BUT THE PILOT WAS UNABLE TO STOP IN THE REMAINING DISTANCE. SUBSEQUENTLY, THE AIRCRAFT WENT OFF THE END OF THE RUNWAY AND STRUCK A SNOWBANK.
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; instrument: helicopter
- Flight time: 1,358 hours in all; 1,210 in this make and model; 27 in the last 90 days; 1,300 as pilot in command
- Medical certificate: Class 2 (valid medical--w/ waivers/lim.)
- Seat: left
The aircraft
- Airframe total time: 3,249 hours
- Last inspection: annual inspection, September 17, 1982; 55 hours since
- Maximum gross weight: 3,400 lb
- Seats: 6
- Landing gear: fixed
- Engine: Lycoming IO-540K (piston); 0 hours total
The flight
- Destination: VNY Van Nuys CA
- Flight plan: IFR
- Runway 36, 8,544 ft by 150 ft
Weather at the time
- Light: daylight
- Wind: from 170° at 15 knots
- Visibility: 7 statute miles
- Sky: overcast at 1,500 ft; not recorded at 1,500 ft
- Temperature: 41°F (5°C), dew point 36°F (2°C)
- Altimeter: 32.00 inHg
Injuries
| Fatal | Serious | Minor | None | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Crew | 1 | |||
| Passengers | 4 |
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.
Other NTSB records under N4069R the same tail number, which may have belonged to a different aircraft at the time
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.