Piper PA-28-161 accident near Truckee, California, August 26, 1984
On August 26, 1984 at about 10:30 pm local time, a Piper PA-28-161, registered N3573X, was substantially damaged in an accident near Truckee, California (Truckee-Tahoe 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
- August 26, 1984 · about 10:30 pm local time
- Place
- Truckee, California · Truckee-Tahoe
- Type
- Accident
- Injuries
- No one was hurt; 2 people were on board or involved.
- Weather
- visual conditions (good weather)
- Aircraft
- Piper PA-28-161 · all PA-28-161s on the register
- Registration
- N3573X · no longer on the register · serial 28-8016094
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Personal flight · general aviation rules (Part 91)
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
THE PLT STATED THAT SHE ROTATED THE ACFT AT 65 KTS AND THE ACFT LIFTED OFF AT 70 KTS. SHORTLY AFTER LIFTOFF THE ACFT VEERED TO THE LEFT AND THE STALL WARNING HORN ACTIVATED. THE PLT LOWERED THE PITCH ATTITUDE, THE ACFT BEGAN TO SETTLE AND THE RIGHT MAIN LANDING GEAR STRUCK A TREE STUMP. THE DENSITY ALTITUDE WAS COMPUTED TO BE 8200 FEET. THE ACFT WEIGHT WAS CALCULATED TO BE APPROXIMATELY 383 LBS BELOW MAX GROSS WEIGHT.
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: private
- Ratings: single-engine land
- Flight time: 111 hours in all; 87 in this make and model; 19 in the last 90 days; 3 in the last 30 days; 33 as pilot in command
- Medical certificate: Class 3 (valid medical--no waivers/lim.)
- Seat: left
The aircraft
- Airframe total time: 1,921 hours
- Last inspection: 100-hour inspection, August 13, 1984; 21 hours since
- Maximum gross weight: 2,325 lb
- Seats: 4
- Landing gear: fixed
- Engine: Lycoming O-320 (piston); 0 hours total
- Operator: Redwood Aviation
The flight
- Destination: EKO Elko NV
- Flight plan: none
- Runway 19, 3,700 ft by 60 ft
- A second pilot was aboard
Weather at the time
- Light: daylight
- Wind: from 190° at 12 knots
- Visibility: 30 statute miles
- Sky: scat
- Temperature: 82°F (28°C), dew point 0°F (-18°C)
- Altimeter: 30.00 inHg
- Observation at 10:30 pm from TRK
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.
Other NTSB records under N3573X the same tail number, which may have belonged to a different aircraft at the time
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.