Stinson VOYAGER 150 accident near Meadow Vista, California, November 3, 1984
On November 3, 1984 at about 2:15 am local time, a Stinson VOYAGER 150, registered N97638, was destroyed in an accident near Meadow Vista, California. It was a personal flight under general aviation rules (Part 91). 1 person was killed. The weather was instrument conditions (cloud, fog or low visibility).
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
- November 3, 1984 · about 2:15 am local time
- Place
- Meadow Vista, California · map
- Type
- Accident
- Injuries
- 1 person was killed.
- Weather
- instrument conditions (cloud, fog or low visibility)
- Aircraft
- Stinson VOYAGER 150 VOYAGER 15
- Registration
- N97638 · no longer on the register · serial 108-638
- Damage
- Destroyed
- Flight
- Personal flight · general aviation rules (Part 91)
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
THE ACFT COLLIDED WITH TERRAIN WHILE MANEUVERING NORTHEAST OF AUBURN AIRPORT DURING A VFR PERSONAL FLT. THE PLT ADVISED SACRAMENTO TRACON THAT HE HAD AUBURN ARPT IN SIGHT. HOWEVER, TRACON OBSERVED N97638 FLY OVER & PASS AUBURN ARPT IN A NORTHERLY DIRECTION & CALLED THE ACFT. AT THIS TIME, THE PLT ADVISED TRACON THAT HE WANTED A VECTOR TO LINCOLN ARPT, 16 MI WEST OF AUBURN. SACRAMENTO TRACON ADVISED N97638 TO MAINTAIN VFR & THAT HE WAS ENTERING AN AREA OF HIGH TERRAIN. ALSO, HE WAS ADVISED THAT WHEN POSSIBLE, HE SHOULD TURN RIGHT OR LEFT TO A HEADING OF 240 DEG FOR A VECTOR TO LINCOLN ARPT. THESE INSTRUCTIONS WERE ACKNOWLEDGED BY THE PLT, BUT SHORTLY AFTER THE ACFT DISAPPEARED FROM RADAR. ACCORDING TO RESIDENTS IN THE ACCIDENT AREA, THE GROUND VISIBILITY WAS 'ZERO ZERO WITH FOG AND MISTY CONDITIONS.' PRIOR TO DEPARTURE ON THIS FLT THE PLT WAS ADVISED BY FSS THAT 'VFR FLIGHT WAS NOT RECOMMENDED.'
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: 802 hours in all; 342 in this make and model; 615 as pilot in command
- Medical certificate: Class 2 (valid medical--w/ waivers/lim.)
- Seat: left
The aircraft
- Airframe total time: 1,883 hours
- Last inspection: annual inspection, October 7, 1983; 99 hours since
- Maximum gross weight: 2,150 lb
- Seats: 4
- Landing gear: fixed
- Engine: Franklin 6A4-150-3B (piston); 0 hours total
The flight
- Departed from: SAC Sacramento CA at 1:32 am
- Destination: AUN Auburn CA
- Flight plan: none
- Runway 0
Weather at the time
- Light: daylight
- Wind: from 360° at 10 knots
- Sky: overcast; not recorded
- Temperature: 61°F (16°C), dew point 0°F (-18°C)
- Altimeter: 29.00 inHg
- Observation at 5:55 am from SAC, 31 miles away
Injuries
| Fatal | Serious | Minor | None | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Crew | 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.