Boeing A75 accident near Ft. Bragg, California, October 10, 1982
On October 10, 1982 at about 8:50 pm local time, a Boeing A75, registered N56772, was destroyed in an accident near Ft. Bragg, California (Virgin Creek airport). It was a personal flight under general aviation rules (Part 91). 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
- October 10, 1982 · about 8:50 pm local time
- Place
- Ft. Bragg, California · Virgin Creek
- Type
- Accident
- Injuries
- 1 person had minor injuries.
- Weather
- visual conditions (good weather)
- Aircraft
- Boeing A75 · all A75s on the register
- Registration
- N56772 · registry record · serial 75-2451
- Damage
- Destroyed
- Flight
- Personal flight · general aviation rules (Part 91)
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
THE PILOT REPORTED THAT HE WAS LONG AND FAST ON HIS LANDING APPROACH, SO HE DECIDED TO GO AROUND. DUE TO A NOISE SENSITIVITY PROBLEM IN THE AREA, HE ELECTED NOT TO USE FULL THROTTLE. SUBSEQUENTLY, THE AIRCRAFT HIT THE TOPS OF TREES AT THE END OF THE RUNWAY. AFTER HITTING THE TREES, THE AIRCRAFT BEGAN TO SETTLE, THEN HIT ADDITIONAL TREES, A FENCE AND TELEPHONE LINE.
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: flight instructor, commercial pilot
- Ratings: single-engine land; instructor: airplane single-engine; instrument: airplane
- Flight time: 986 hours in all; 195 in this make and model; 6 in the last 90 days; 840 as pilot in command
- Medical certificate: Class 2 (valid medical--no waivers/lim.)
- Seat: unk
The aircraft
- Airframe total time: 8,386 hours
- Last inspection: inspection type not recorded; 0 hours since
- Maximum gross weight: 2,717 lb
- Seats: 2
- Landing gear: fixed
- Engine: P & W R-985 (piston); 0 hours total
- Fire on the ground
The flight
- Departed from: Ft. Bragg CA at 1:40 pm
- Destination: Ft. Bragg CA
- Flight plan: none
- Runway 35, 1,000 ft by 50 ft
Weather at the time
- Light: daylight
- Wind: from 090° at 3 knots
- Visibility: 30 statute miles
- Sky: not recorded; clear
- Temperature: 162°F (72°C), dew point 0°F (-18°C)
Injuries
| Fatal | Serious | Minor | None | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Crew | 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.
Other NTSB records under N56772 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.