Meyers Aircraft Co. OTW accident near Winters, California, July 2, 1985
On July 2, 1985 at about 5:30 pm local time, a Meyers Aircraft Co. OTW, registered N23799, was substantially damaged in an accident near Winters, California (Yolo County airport). It was an instructional 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
- July 2, 1985 · about 5:30 pm local time
- Place
- Winters, California · Yolo County · map
- Type
- Accident
- Injuries
- No one was hurt; 2 people were on board or involved.
- Weather
- visual conditions (good weather)
- Aircraft
- Meyers Aircraft Co. OTW
- Registration
- N23799 · no longer on the register · serial 2
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Instructional flight · general aviation rules (Part 91)
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
THE PURPOSE OF THIS FLT WAS TO CHECK OUT A COMMERCIAL PLT IN THE ACFT. DUAL FLT CONTROLS & HEEL BRAKES WERE INSTALLED. THE STUDENT WAS PRACTICING LANDINGS & ON HIS 4TH OR 5TH LANDING ROLL, THE ACFT BEGAN TO TURN TO THE RIGHT. THE STUDENT APPLIED LEFT RUDDER & BRAKE BUT THE ACFT CONTINUED TO TURN TO THE RIGHT. THE INSTRUCTOR ALSO APPLIED BRAKES & THE ACFT NOSED OVER. BOTH PLT'S ADMITTED THAT EXCESSIVE BRAKING ACTION CAUSED THE NOSE OVER, AND THAT BOTH PLTS WERE USING THE BRAKES. THE INSTRUCTOR PLT REPORTED THAT HERE WERE NO MECHANICAL FAILURES OR MALFUNCTION OF THE ACFT.
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: airline transport pilot, flight instructor
- Ratings: multi-engine land; single-engine land; instructor: airplane multi-engine; instructor: airplane single-engine; instrument: airplane
- Flight time: 5,600 hours in all; 187 in this make and model; 211 in the last 90 days; 5,290 as pilot in command
- Medical certificate: Class 2 (valid medical--w/ waivers/lim.)
- Seat: frt
The aircraft
- Airframe total time: 1,844 hours
- Last inspection: annual inspection, April 6, 1985; 20 hours since
- Maximum gross weight: 1,860 lb
- Seats: 2
- Landing gear: fixed
- Engine: Warner UNKNOWN (piston); 0 hours total
The flight
- Departed from: Q96 Sacramento CA at 4:30 pm
- Destination: 2Q3 Davis CA
- Flight plan: none
- Runway 16, 6,000 ft by 100 ft
- A second pilot was aboard
Weather at the time
- Light: daylight
- Wind: from 180° at 2 knots
- Visibility: 25 statute miles
- Sky: clear
- Temperature: 84°F (29°C), dew point 0°F (-18°C)
- Observation at 10:30 am
Injuries
| Fatal | Serious | Minor | None | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Crew | 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.