Piper PA 28-236 accident near Emigrant Gap, California, May 18, 1983
On May 18, 1983 at about 8:10 pm local time, a Piper PA 28-236, registered N2960X, was substantially damaged in an accident near Emigrant Gap, California (Blue Canyon airport). It was an instructional flight under general aviation rules (Part 91). No one was hurt; 2 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
- May 18, 1983 · about 8:10 pm local time
- Place
- Emigrant Gap, California · Blue Canyon · map
- Type
- Accident
- Injuries
- No one was hurt; 2 people were on board or involved.
- Weather
- visual conditions (good weather)
- Aircraft
- Piper PA 28-236 · all PA 28-236s on the register
- Registration
- N2960X · no longer on the register · serial 7911276
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Instructional flight · general aviation rules (Part 91)
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
THE ACFT COLLIDED WITH TREES DURING TAKEOFF. THE CFI AND STUDENT HAD MADE A LANDING ON A RWY THAT WAS 2/3 COVERED WITH SNOW. THEY THOUGHT THEY COULD MAKE A SHORT FIELD LANDING AND A SHORT FIELD RUNNING TAKEOFF. THEY NOSED DOWN IN THE SNOW DURING THE ATTEMPTED TAKEOFF. ASSESING THE DAMAGE IN THIS MISHAP AS MINOR THEY RESTARTED THE ACFT AFTER PUSHING IT OUT OF THE SNOW. A TAKEOFF FROM THE CLEARED 1/3 OF THE RWY TOWARD THE SNOW RESULTED IN AN ABORT IN THE SNOW. THEY DECIDED TOTAKEOFF FROM THE SNOW COVERED AREA TOWARD THE CLEARED END OF THE RWY. THIS LEFT NO ROOM FOR AN ABORT. WHEN AIRBORNE, USING FLAPS BUT OUT OF GROUND EFFECT, THE ACFT SETTLED INTO THE TREES. THE ARPT IS CLOSED BY SNOW IN WINTER MONTHS WITH NO SNOW REMOVAL PLANS AND IS SO NOTED IN THE GUIDE TO ARPTS.THE AREA CLEARED BY THE WIND AND USED BY THIS FLT WAS ABOUT 750 FT LONG.
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: commercial pilot
- Ratings: multi-engine land; single-engine land; instructor: airplane multi-engine; instructor: airplane single-engine; instructor: instrument airplane; instrument: airplane
- Flight time: 7,789 hours in all; 60 in this make and model; 111 in the last 90 days; 28 in the last 30 days; 7,637 as pilot in command
- Medical certificate: Class 2 (valid medical--w/ waivers/lim.)
- Seat: left
The aircraft
- Airframe total time: 1,073 hours
- Last inspection: annual inspection, September 27, 1982; 73 hours since
- Maximum gross weight: 2,900 lb
- Seats: 4
- Landing gear: fixed
- Engine: Lycoming O-540-J3A5D (piston); 0 hours total
- Operator: Navajo Aviation, INC.
The flight
- Destination: CCR Concord CA
- Flight plan: VFR
- Runway 15, 3,300 ft by 50 ft
- A second pilot was aboard
Weather at the time
- Light: daylight
- Wind: from 210° at 6 knots
- Visibility: 25 statute miles
- Temperature: 64°F (18°C), dew point 34°F (1°C)
- Altimeter: 30.00 inHg
- Observation at 7:57 pm from BLU
Injuries
| Fatal | Serious | Minor | None | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Crew | 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.