Cessna 180K accident near Melville Lake, California, December 29, 1983
On December 29, 1983 at about 9:01 pm local time, a Cessna 180K, registered N2991K, was substantially damaged in an accident near Melville Lake, California. It was a personal flight under general aviation rules (Part 91). 4 people had minor injuries; 1 other was unhurt. The weather was visual conditions (good weather).
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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 4, 2026. Docket and reports at the NTSB.
What the record shows
- Date
- December 29, 1983 · about 9:01 pm local time
- Place
- Melville Lake, California · map
- Type
- Accident
- Injuries
- 4 people had minor injuries; 1 other was unhurt.
- Weather
- visual conditions (good weather)
- Aircraft
- Cessna 180K · all 180Ks on the register
- Registration
- N2991K · registry record · serial 18053154
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Personal flight · general aviation rules (Part 91)
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
THE ACFT LANDED HARD DURING AN ABORTED TAKEOFF FROM A DRY LAKE BED AFTER THE LANDING GEAR HAD SNAGGED A TENT. IN PREPARING TO LEAVE THE PLT NOTICED A SMALL TENT ON THE LAKE BED. HE BELIEVED HE COULD OVERFLY IT ON TAKEOFF BUT THE LANDING GEAR DID NOT CLEAR THE TENT. PART OF THE NYLON CANOPY FROM THE UNOCCUPIED TENT REMAINED ON THE GEAR SO THE PLT DECIDED TO LAND. WHILE TURNING AT LOW ALTITUDE TO ALIGN THE ACFT FOR LANDING THE ACFT STALLED AND LANDED HARD ON THE LEFT GEAR AND WING TIP.
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
What happened, in order
- IN FLIGHT COLLISION WITH OBJECT during takeoff - initial climb
- LOSS OF CONTROL - IN FLIGHT during landing - flare/touchdown
- HARD LANDING during landing - flare/touchdown
Pilot
- Ratings: single-engine land, none
- Flight time: 420 hours in all; 178 in this make and model; 22 in the last 90 days; 5 in the last 30 days; 370 as pilot in command
- Medical certificate: class 3
The aircraft
- Airframe total time: 520 hours
- Last inspection: type not recorded, November 11, 1983; 65 hours since
- Maximum gross weight: 2,950 lb
- Seats: 4
- Landing gear: fixed
- Engine: Continental O-470-U (piston); 0 hours total
- Operating certificate: in the vicinity
The flight
- Destination: SBA Santa Barbara CA
- Flight plan: none
- Runway 0
Weather at the time
- Light: daylight
- Visibility: 50 statute miles
- Sky: scattered at 25,000 ft
- Temperature: 61°C, dew point 0°C
Injuries
| Fatal | Serious | Minor | None | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Crew | 1 | |||
| Passengers | 3 | 1 |
About this page
Everything above comes from the NTSB's public accident database: the narrative, probable cause and findings are the NTSB's own words, and the coded tables behind its report (pilot, aircraft, flight, weather, injuries, sequence of events) are written out in plain English. Pilots' ages, home towns and medical details are left out on purpose. The docket at the NTSB holds the report as a PDF and the investigation's photographs and documents. This site never names pilots, passengers or anyone else involved. A preliminary report describes what is known soon after the event and can change; the final report, with the probable cause, usually follows one to two years later and this page is refreshed when it does. Case number LAX84LA123.