Cessna 172 M accident near Island Mountain, California, August 2, 1985
On August 2, 1985 at about 6:15 pm local time, a Cessna 172 M, registered N64033, was substantially damaged in an accident near Island Mountain, California (Miller Ranch airport). It was a business 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
- August 2, 1985 · about 6:15 pm local time
- Place
- Island Mountain, California · Miller Ranch
- Type
- Accident
- Injuries
- No one was hurt; 2 people were on board or involved.
- Weather
- visual conditions (good weather)
- Aircraft
- Cessna 172 M · all 172 Ms on the register
- Registration
- N64033 · no longer on the register · serial 17264978
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Business flight · general aviation rules (Part 91)
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
UPON ARRIVING OVER THE UNCHARTED, 2000-FOOT-LONG DIRT AIRSTRIP, THE PLT PLACED THE ACFT INTO LANDING CONFIGURATION & ATTEMPTED TO LAND. THE ACFT TOUCHED DOWN HARD, BOUNCED 3 TIMES, 'FLOATED,' OVERRAN THE RUNWAY'S END, WENT INTO A DITCH & NOSED OVER. THE PLT STATED THAT THE PREVIOUS YEAR HE HAD LANDED AT THE AIRSTRIP & HAD NOT EXPERIENCED DIFFICULTY.
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: 179 hours in all; 30 in this make and model; 4 in the last 90 days
- Medical certificate: Class 3 (valid medical--no waivers/lim.)
- Seat: left
The aircraft
- Airframe total time: 5,647 hours
- Last inspection: annual inspection, July 29, 1985; 10 hours since
- Maximum gross weight: 2,300 lb
- Seats: 4
- Landing gear: fixed
- Engine: Lycoming O-320-E2D (piston); 0 hours total
- Operator: West Valley Flying Club
The flight
- Departed from: PAO Palo Alto CA at 4:30 pm
- Destination: CA
- Flight plan: VFR
- Runway 24, 2,000 ft by 70 ft
Weather at the time
- Light: daylight
- Visibility: 25 statute miles
- Sky: clear
- Temperature: 70°F (21°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.