Piper PA-28-161 accident near Tahoe Paradise, California, April 5, 1985
On April 5, 1985 at about 7:05 pm local time, a Piper PA-28-161, registered N80530, was substantially damaged in an accident near Tahoe Paradise, California. It was a personal flight under general aviation rules (Part 91). 1 person was seriously injured and 3 people 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
- April 5, 1985 · about 7:05 pm local time
- Place
- Tahoe Paradise, California
- Type
- Accident
- Injuries
- 1 person was seriously injured and 3 people had minor injuries.
- Weather
- visual conditions (good weather)
- Aircraft
- Piper PA-28-161 · all PA-28-161s on the register
- Registration
- N80530 · no longer on the register · serial 28-8216094
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Personal flight · general aviation rules (Part 91)
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
THE ACFT CONTACTED TREES AND THE TERRAIN DURING AN ATTEMPTED CLIMB IN A NARROW CANYON. THE PLT STATED HE WAS ATTEMPTING TO CLIMB IN ORDER TO CLEAR RISING TERRAIN IN THE CANYON WHEN A DOWNDRAFT WAS ENCOUNTERED. HE STATED, HE CLEARED THE TOP OF THE RIDGE AT 9000 FT WHEN THE DOWNDRAFT WAS EXPERIENCED AND THE LEFT WING CONTACTED TREES. LEVEL FLT COULD NOT BE MAINTAINED AND THE ACFT SETTLED INTO THE TREES.
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: flight instructor, commercial pilot
- Ratings: multi-engine land; single-engine land; instructor: airplane single-engine; instrument: airplane
- Flight time: 665 hours in all; 90 in this make and model; 80 in the last 90 days; 635 as pilot in command
- Medical certificate: Class 1 (valid medical--w/ waivers/lim.)
- Seat: left
The aircraft
- Airframe total time: 1,335 hours
- Last inspection: annual inspection, January 17, 1985; 86 hours since
- Maximum gross weight: 2,325 lb
- Seats: 4
- Landing gear: fixed
- Engine: Lycoming O-320-D3G (piston); 0 hours total
- Operator: Executive Aero Systems, INC
The flight
- Departed from: TVL S. Lake Tahoe CA at 6:45 pm
- Flight plan: none
- Runway 0
Weather at the time
- Light: daylight
- Wind: from 020° at 10 knots
- Visibility: 50 statute miles
- Sky: clear
- Temperature: 64°F (18°C), dew point 36°F (2°C)
- Altimeter: 30.00 inHg
Injuries
| Fatal | Serious | Minor | None | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Crew | 1 | |||
| Passengers | 1 | 2 |
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.