Cessna 172 and Piper PA-28R accident near Gualala, California, October 11, 1982
On October 11, 1982, 2 aircraft, Cessna 172 (N29150) and Piper PA-28R (N8465Y), were involved in the same accident near Gualala, California (Ocean Ridge airport). No one was hurt; 4 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
- October 11, 1982
- Place
- Gualala, California · Ocean Ridge
- Type
- Accident · collision on the ground
- Injuries
- No one was hurt; 4 people were on board or involved.
- Weather
- visual conditions (good weather)
- Aircraft 1
- Cessna 172 · all 172s on the register
- Registration
- N29150 · no longer on the register · serial 1726406
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Personal flight · general aviation rules (Part 91)
- Aircraft 2
- Piper PA-28R · all PA-28Rs on the register
- Registration
- N8465Y · no longer on the register · serial 28R-0000
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Flight of an unrecorded kind · general aviation rules (Part 91)
The NTSB's narrative for the Cessna 172 final · quoted from the NTSB record
CESSNA 172, N29150, & PIPER PA-28, N8465Y, WERE BOTH DEPARTING FROM A PVT, UNCTLD ARPT AT THE SAME TIME, BUT FROM OPPOSITE DRCTNS ON THE SAME RWY. THE RWY WAS CROWNED IN THE CENTER WHICH PREVENTED LINE-OF-SIGHT TO ACFT ON OPPOSITE ENDS. EACH PLT STATED THAT HE MADE THE APPROPRIATE RADIO CALLS ON THE UNICOM FREQ BFR STARTING TKOF. DRG THEIR TKOF ROLLS, THEY APCHD EACH OTHER NEAR THE MID PART OF THE RWY. THE CESSNA PLT STATED HE MNVRD TO THE RGT WHILE THE PIPER REMAINED IN THE CENTER OF THE RWY. THE PIPER PLT STATED HE SWERVED RIGHT, BUT THAT THE CESSNA WENT LFT, THEN RGT, THEN LFT AGAIN, & FINALLY HE PULLED UP TO AVOID A COLLISION. AS THE ACFT PASSED, THE LFT WING TIPS COLLIDED. THE OCCUPANTS OF THE PIPER HAD 32 BAGS OF MARIJUANA IN THEIR POSSESSION. THE CESSNA PLT, AN MD, STATED THE PIPER PLT HAD DILATED PUPILS, FACIAL SWEATING, TREMULOUS HANDS, TELEGRAPHED SPEECH, DIAPHORETIC APPEARANCE & SHOWED GENERAL AGGITATION.
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 NTSB's narrative for the Piper PA-28R final · quoted from the NTSB record
CESSNA 172, N29150, & PIPER PA-28, N8465Y, WERE BOTH DEPARTING FROM A PVT, UNCTLD ARPT AT THE SAME TIME, BUT FROM OPPOSITE DRCTNS ON THE SAME RWY. TH RWY WAS CROWNED IN THE CENTER WHICH PREVENTED LINE-OF-SIGHT TO ACFT ON OPPOSITE ENDS. EACH PLT STATED THAT HE MADE THE APPROPRIATE RADIO CALLS ON THE UNICM FREQ BFR STARTING TKOF. DRG THEIR TKOF ROLLS, THEY APCHD EACH OTHER NEAR THE MID PART OF THE RWY. THE CESSNA PLT STATED HE MNVRD TO THE RGT WHILE THE PIPER REMAINED IN THE CENTER OF THE RWY. THE PIPER PLT STATED HE SWERVED RIGHT, BUT THAT THE CESSNA WENT LFT, THEN RGT, THEN LFT AGAIN, & FINALLY HE PULLED UP TO AVOID A COLLISION. AS THE ACFT PASSED, THE LFT WING TIPS COLLIDED. THE OCCUPANTS OF THE PIPER HAD 32 BAGS OF MARIJUANA IN THEIR POSSESSION. THE CESSNA PLT, AN MD, STATED THE PIPER PLT HAD DILATED PUPILS, FACIAL SWEATING, TREMULOUS HANDS, TELEGRAPHED SPEECH, DIAPHORETIC APPEARANCE & SHOWED GENERAL AGGITATION.
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 for the Cessna 172 from the NTSB's investigation tables, in plain English
Pilot
- Certificate: private
- Ratings: single-engine land
- Flight time: 88 hours in all; 15 in this make and model; 14 in the last 90 days; 47 as pilot in command
- Medical certificate: Class 2 (valid medical--no waivers/lim.)
- Seat: unk
The aircraft
- Airframe total time: 2,675 hours
- Last inspection: inspection type not recorded; 11 hours since
- Maximum gross weight: 2,150 lb
- Seats: 4
- Landing gear: fixed
- Engine: Lycoming O-320 (piston); 0 hours total
The flight
- Departed from: Gualala CA at 4:24 pm
- Destination: C Pala Alto CA
- Flight plan: none
- Runway 31, 2,600 ft by 60 ft
Weather at the time
- Light: daylight
- Wind: from 310° at 5 knots
- Visibility: 50 statute miles
- Sky: not recorded; clear
- Temperature: 149°F (65°C), dew point 0°F (-18°C)
- Altimeter: 29.00 inHg
Injuries
| Fatal | Serious | Minor | None | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Crew | 1 | |||
| Passengers | 1 |
The factual record for the Piper PA-28R from the NTSB's investigation tables, in plain English
Pilot
- Certificate: private
- Ratings: single-engine land
- Flight time: 393 hours in all; 121 in this make and model; 8 in the last 90 days; 323 as pilot in command
- Medical certificate: Class 3 (valid medical--no waivers/lim.)
- Seat: unk
The aircraft
- Last inspection: inspection type not recorded; 0 hours since
- Maximum gross weight: 2,400 lb
- Seats: 4
- Landing gear: retractable
- Engine: Continental TSIO-360 (piston); 0 hours total
The flight
- Departed from: Gualala CA at 4:24 pm
- Destination: Gualala CA
- Flight plan: none
- Runway 13, 2,600 ft by 60 ft
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.