Piper PA-24-250 accident near Folsom, California, July 17, 1984
On July 17, 1984 at about 12:30 pm local time, a Piper PA-24-250, registered N5752P, was substantially damaged in an accident near Folsom, California. It was a personal flight under general aviation rules (Part 91). 1 person was seriously injured and 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
- July 17, 1984 · about 12:30 pm local time
- Place
- Folsom, California · map
- Type
- Accident
- Injuries
- 1 person was seriously injured and 1 person had minor injuries.
- Weather
- visual conditions (good weather)
- Aircraft
- Piper PA-24-250 · all PA-24-250s on the register
- Registration
- N5752P · no longer on the register · serial 24-827
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Personal flight · general aviation rules (Part 91)
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
THE ACFT WAS OBSERVED FLYING DOWN A RIVER AT A LOW ALTITUDE TOWARD THE MAIN BODY OF A LAKE. THE ACFT IMPACTED A 12 KV POWER LINE. THE PLT STATED THAT HE DID NOT SEE THE WIRES UNTIL AN INSTANT BEFORE IMPACT.
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; single-engine sea; instructor: glider; instrument: helicopter; rotorcraft: glider; rotorcraft: helicopter
- Flight time: 2,020 hours in all; 704 in this make and model; 42 in the last 90 days; 21 in the last 30 days; 1,874 as pilot in command
- Medical certificate: Class 2 (valid medical--w/ waivers/lim.)
- Seat: left
The aircraft
- Airframe total time: 2,740 hours
- Last inspection: annual inspection, May 19, 1984
- Maximum gross weight: 2,800 lb
- Seats: 4
- Landing gear: retractable
- Engine: Lycoming O-540-A1A5 (piston); 0 hours total
The flight
- Departed from: 062 Grass Valley CA at 1:05 pm
- Destination: 103 Lodi CA
- Flight plan: none
- Runway 0
Weather at the time
- Light: daylight
- Visibility: 20 statute miles
- Sky: broken clouds at 10,000 ft; scat at 6,000 ft
- Temperature: 72°F (22°C), dew point 0°F (-18°C)
- Altimeter: 29.00 inHg
- Observation at 11:57 am from MHR, 13 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.