Cessna 172 accident near Auburn, California, April 7, 1985
On April 7, 1985 at about 4:00 am local time, a Cessna 172, registered N6167E, was destroyed in an accident near Auburn, California. It was a personal flight under general aviation rules (Part 91). 2 people were seriously injured. 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 7, 1985 · about 4:00 am local time
- Place
- Auburn, California · map
- Type
- Accident
- Injuries
- 2 people were seriously injured.
- Weather
- visual conditions (good weather)
- Aircraft
- Cessna 172 · all 172s on the register
- Registration
- N6167E · registry record · serial 17246267
- Damage
- Destroyed
- Flight
- Personal flight · general aviation rules (Part 91)
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
THE ACFT CRASHED INTO TREES DURING AN APPROACH TO LAND AFTER SUNSET. THE PLT STATED THAT HE WAS DESCENDING FROM 10,500 FT THRU 5000 FT WITH THE ARPT IN SIGHT AS WELL AS THE LIGHTS OF SACRAMENTO, CA. HE DOES NOT REMEMBER THE ACCIDENT BUT REMEMBERS HIS WIFE WAS ASLEEP AND THE DOG IN BACK TRIED TO GET UP FRONT, WHICH HE LATER THOUGHT UNUSUAL. THE FLT LASTED AN HOUR AND THE HEATER WAS ON DURING THE FLT BUT TESTS FOR CO2 DAYS LATER WERE INCONCLUSIVE. POST ACC EXAM OF THE ACFT EXHAUST SYSTEM SHOWED NO MALFUNCTION. THE CRASH SITE WAS AOBUT 2 MILES FROM THE ARPT. THE ACFT CRASHED INVERTED ABOUT 100 FT FROM THE FIRST TREE IMPACT POINT.
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: 191 hours in all; 191 in this make and model; 39 in the last 90 days; 165 as pilot in command
- Medical certificate: Class 3 (valid medical--no waivers/lim.)
- Seat: left
The aircraft
- Airframe total time: 2,560 hours
- Last inspection: annual inspection, June 11, 1984; 130 hours since
- Maximum gross weight: 2,200 lb
- Seats: 4
- Landing gear: fixed
- Engine: Continental O-300-A (piston); 0 hours total
The flight
- Departed from: FLX Fallon NV at 2:15 am
- Destination: AUN Auburn CA
- Flight plan: none
- Runway 0
Weather at the time
- Light: daylight
- Visibility: 50 statute miles
- Sky: clear
- Temperature: 61°F (16°C), dew point 0°F (-18°C)
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.