Cessna 152 accident near Grass Valley, California, March 14, 1985
On March 14, 1985 at about 7:00 pm local time, a Cessna 152, registered N95491, was substantially damaged in an accident near Grass Valley, California (Nevada CO 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
- March 14, 1985 · about 7:00 pm local time
- Place
- Grass Valley, California · Nevada CO · map
- Type
- Accident
- Injuries
- No one was hurt; 2 people were on board or involved.
- Weather
- visual conditions (good weather)
- Aircraft
- Cessna 152 · all 152s on the register
- Registration
- N95491 · no longer on the register · serial 85904
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Personal flight · general aviation rules (Part 91)
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
ACCORDING TO THE PLT SHE FLARED TOO LATE AND WAS TOO CLOSE TO THE LEFT SIDE OF THE 50 FT WIDE RWY AT TOUCHDOWN. THE ACFT VEERED LEFT ON THE LNDG ROLL AND THE LEFT MAIN GEAR STRUCK A SNOWBANK. THE PLT TRIED TO STEER OUT OF THE SNOWBANK BUT THE NOSE GEAR ALSO GOT INTO THE SNOW AND THE ACFT NOSED OVER. THE SLIGHTLY DOWNHILL RWY WAS ICY AND THERE WAS A RIGHT X-WIND COMPONENT.
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: 66 hours in all; 5 in the last 90 days; 27 as pilot in command
- Medical certificate: Class 3 (valid medical--no waivers/lim.)
- Seat: left
The aircraft
- Airframe total time: 241 hours
- Last inspection: 100-hour inspection; 41 hours since
- Maximum gross weight: 1,670 lb
- Seats: 2
- Landing gear: fixed
- Engine: Lycoming O-235-N2C (piston); 0 hours total
The flight
- Departed from: PVF Placerville CA at 6:35 pm
- Destination: 017 Grass Valley CA
- Flight plan: none
- Runway 25, 3,920 ft by 50 ft
Weather at the time
- Light: daylight
- Wind: from 280° at 6 knots
- Visibility: 15 statute miles
- Sky: clear
- Temperature: 63°F (17°C), dew point 43°F (6°C)
- Altimeter: 30.00 inHg
- Observation at 6:47 pm from MYV, 26 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.