Cessna 172A accident near Carmel Valley, California, June 5, 1983
On June 5, 1983 at about 1:30 am local time, a Cessna 172A, registered N9854T, was substantially damaged in an accident near Carmel Valley, California (Carmel Valley airport). It was a personal 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
- June 5, 1983 · about 1:30 am local time
- Place
- Carmel Valley, California · Carmel Valley · map
- Type
- Accident
- Injuries
- No one was hurt; 2 people were on board or involved.
- Weather
- visual conditions (good weather)
- Aircraft
- Cessna 172A · all 172As on the register
- Registration
- N9854T · registry record · serial 47654
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Personal flight · general aviation rules (Part 91)
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
ACCORDING TO THE PILOT THERE WERE NO TIEDOWNS, CHOCKS OR OTHER RESTRAINING DEVICES AVAILABLE SO HE ASK A NON CERTIFICATED PERSON TO SIT IN THE AIRCRAFT AND APPLY THE BRAKES WHILE HE ROTATED THE PROP BY HAND TO START THE ENGINE. THE ENGINE STARTED AND THE PASSENGER INADVERTENTLY INCREASED POWER. THE PILOT COULD NOT STOP THE AIRCRAFT WHICH THEN COLLIDED WITH THREE OTHER AIRCRAFT WHICH WERE PARKED. THE AIRCRAFT SUBSEQUENTLY STRUCK A DIRT BANK AND THE NOSE GEAR COLLAPSED.
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: 550 in this make and model; 3 in the last 90 days; 11 as pilot in command; 11 on instruments
- Medical certificate: Unknown (expired)
- Seat: unk
The aircraft
- Airframe total time: 1,900 hours
- Last inspection: annual inspection; 50 hours since
- Maximum gross weight: 2,200 lb
- Seats: 4
- Landing gear: fixed
- Engine: Continental O-300-C (piston); 0 hours total
The flight
- Destination: FCH Fresno CA
- Flight plan: none
- Runway 0
Weather at the time
- Light: daylight
- Wind: from 270° at 5 knots, gusting 10
- Visibility: 10 statute miles
- Sky: clear
- Temperature: 64°F (18°C), dew point 0°F (-18°C)
- Altimeter: 29.00 inHg
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.