Globe GC-1B accident near Death Valley, California, April 29, 1984
On April 29, 1984 at about 3:00 pm local time, a Globe GC-1B, registered N80762, was substantially damaged in an accident near Death Valley, California (Death Valley 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
- April 29, 1984 · about 3:00 pm local time
- Place
- Death Valley, California · Death Valley · map
- Type
- Accident
- Injuries
- No one was hurt; 2 people were on board or involved.
- Weather
- visual conditions (good weather)
- Aircraft
- Globe GC-1B · all GC-1Bs on the register
- Registration
- N80762 · registry record · serial 165
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Personal flight · general aviation rules (Part 91)
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
ACCORDING TO THE PLT, THE APPROACH TO RWY 33 WAS IN A 'NO-WIND CONDITION UNTIL ABOUT 30-40 FT AGL WHEN A STRONG TAIL WIND CAME UP.' HE STATED THAT IT APPEARED THAT THERE WAS SUFFICIENT RWY REMAINING AND WHEN HE REALIZED IT WAS TOO LATE TO STOP OR GO AROUND HE ELECTED TO ROLL STRAIGHT AHEAD. THE ACFT ROLLED INTO SOFT SAND AND NOSED OVER.
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; instrument: airplane
- Flight time: 1,165 hours in all; 18 in the last 90 days; 1,040 as pilot in command
- Medical certificate: Class 1 (valid medical--w/ waivers/lim.)
- Seat: left
The aircraft
- Airframe total time: 2,204 hours
- Last inspection: annual inspection, September 30, 1983; 40 hours since
- Maximum gross weight: 1,710 lb
- Seats: 2
- Landing gear: fixed
- Engine: Lycoming O-320 (piston); 0 hours total
The flight
- Departed from: L06 Death Valley CA at 2:50 pm
- Flight plan: none
- Runway 33, 3,040 ft by 70 ft
Weather at the time
- Light: daylight
- Wind: from 170° at 8 knots
- Visibility: 75 statute miles
- Sky: scat at 25,000 ft
- Temperature: 66°F (19°C), dew point 19°F (-7°C)
- Altimeter: 30.00 inHg
- Observation at 2:40 pm from LAS, 85 miles away
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.