Cessna 172G accident near Macdoel, California, December 7, 1983
On December 7, 1983 at about 8:00 pm local time, a Cessna 172G, registered N6070R, was substantially damaged in an accident near Macdoel, California (Triple R Ranch 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
- December 7, 1983 · about 8:00 pm local time
- Place
- Macdoel, California · Triple R Ranch · map
- Type
- Accident
- Injuries
- No one was hurt; 2 people were on board or involved.
- Weather
- visual conditions (good weather)
- Aircraft
- Cessna 172G · all 172Gs on the register
- Registration
- N6070R · registry record · serial 17253739
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Personal flight · general aviation rules (Part 91)
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
THE ACFT COLLIDED WITH TREES DURING LANDING ROLLOUT. THE PLT SAID HE THOUGHT THE WIND WAS 'SOUTHERLY AT ABOUT 20 KTS'. HE STATED THAT WHILE FLARING FOR LANDING ON RWY 15 A STRONT GUST ESTIMATED AT 40 KTS WAS ENCOUNTERED & THE ACFT DRIFTED OFF THE 40 FT WIDE RWY. THE PLT SAID THE ACFT TOUCHED DOWN IN THE ROUGH AND ROLLED STRAIGHT AHEAD ABOUT 10 FT TO THE SIDE OF THE RWY. JUST BEFORE STOPPING THE ACFT COLLIDED WITH TWO TREES.
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: single-engine land
- Flight time: 592 hours in all; 592 in this make and model; 10 in the last 90 days; 4 in the last 30 days; 506 as pilot in command
- Medical certificate: Class 2 (valid medical--w/ waivers/lim.)
- Seat: left
The aircraft
- Airframe total time: 3,200 hours
- Last inspection: annual inspection, November 1, 1983; 15 hours since
- Maximum gross weight: 2,150 lb
- Seats: 4
- Landing gear: fixed
- Engine: Continental O-300-D (piston); 0 hours total
The flight
- Departed from: 085 Redding CA at 7:00 pm
- Flight plan: none
- Runway 15, 2,300 ft by 40 ft
Weather at the time
- Light: dawn
- Wind: from 150° at 20 knots, gusting 40
- Visibility: 40 statute miles
- Sky: scat at 6,500 ft
- Temperature: 43°F (6°C), dew point 0°F (-18°C)
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.