Cessna 172N accident near Tulelake, California, September 29, 1983
On September 29, 1983 at about 11:30 pm local time, a Cessna 172N, registered N6089F, was substantially damaged in an accident near Tulelake, California. It was a personal flight under general aviation rules (Part 91). 3 people were seriously injured and 1 person had minor injuries. 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 29, 1983 · about 11:30 pm local time
- Place
- Tulelake, California · map
- Type
- Accident
- Injuries
- 3 people were seriously injured and 1 person had minor injuries.
- Weather
- visual conditions (good weather)
- Aircraft
- Cessna 172N · all 172Ns on the register
- Registration
- N6089F · registry record · serial 17273145
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Personal flight · general aviation rules (Part 91)
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
THE PLT REPORTED THAT HE MADE A LOW PASS OVER THE MEDICINE LAKE AREA, THEN AFTER CIRCLING FOR A FEW MINUTES, HE CLIMBED BACK TO 7500 FT, ESTABLISHED 2000 RPM & 70 KTS, & CONTINUED THE FLT. APPX 5 MIN LATER, HE NOTICED THAT THE TREES APPEARED TO BE GETTING CLOSER. HE CHECKED HIS VERTICAL VELOCITY INDICATOR & NOTED A 200 FT/MIN DESCENT. HE THEN APPLIED FULL THROTTLE, BUT DID NOT NOTICE THE RPM INCREASE & CONTINUED TO LOSE ALTITUDE. SUBSEQUENTLY, THE ACFT COLLIDED WITH A TREE & CRASHED AT AN ELEVATION OF ABOUT 6000 FT. DURING THE INVESTIGATION, THE ENG WAS EXAMINED & RUN ON A PORTABLE TEST STAND & IT OPERATED NORMALLY. THE DENSITY ALTITUDE OF THE CRASH SITE WAS ESTIMATED TO BE 8300 FT. REPORTEDLY, THE TEMP & DEW POINT IN THE AREA WERE 63 & 32 DEG, RESPECTIVELY. ACCORDING TO ICING PROBABILITY CHARTS, VISIBLE CARB ICING WAS POSSIBLE AT RATED POWER. ALSO, UPDRAFTS & DOWNDRAFTS WERE COMMON IN THE AREA & WERE REPORTED BY OTHER PLTS.
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: 100 hours in all; 17 in this make and model; 31 in the last 90 days; 9 in the last 30 days; 73 as pilot in command
- Medical certificate: Class 3 (valid medical--no waivers/lim.)
- Seat: left
The aircraft
- Airframe total time: 526 hours
- Last inspection: annual inspection, September 17, 1983; 5 hours since
- Maximum gross weight: 2,300 lb
- Seats: 4
- Landing gear: fixed
- Engine: Lycoming O-320-H2AD (piston); 0 hours total
- Operator: Enterprise Flying Club
The flight
- Departed from: Q93 Enterprise CA
- Flight plan: none
- Runway 0
Weather at the time
- Light: daylight
- Wind: from 340° at 9 knots
- Visibility: 40 statute miles
- Sky: scat at 5,000 ft
- Temperature: 63°F (17°C), dew point 0°F (-18°C)
- Altimeter: 29.00 inHg
- Observation at 11:45 pm from LMT
Injuries
| Fatal | Serious | Minor | None | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Crew | 2 | |||
| Passengers | 1 | 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.