Amateur-built AA-5B accident near Gold Run, California, November 10, 1985
On November 10, 1985 at about 1:57 am local time, a amateur-built AA-5B, registered N28495, was destroyed in an accident near Gold Run, California (Truckee-Tahoe airport). It was a personal flight under general aviation rules (Part 91). 3 people were killed. The weather was instrument conditions (cloud, fog or low visibility).
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
- November 10, 1985 · about 1:57 am local time
- Place
- Gold Run, California · Truckee-Tahoe · map
- Type
- Accident
- Injuries
- 3 people were killed.
- Weather
- instrument conditions (cloud, fog or low visibility)
- Aircraft
- Amateur-built AA-5B
- Registration
- N28495 · no longer on the register · serial AA5B0641
- Damage
- Destroyed
- Flight
- Personal flight · general aviation rules (Part 91)
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
THE ACCIDENT LOCATION AND THE DEPARTURE AIRPORT IS LOCATED IN A MOUNTAINOUS AREA. THE ACFT DEPARTED TRUCKEE-TAHOE ARPT (TRK) TO THE NORTHEAST IN MARGINAL VFR CONDITIONS AT SUNSET. THE ACFT CONTINUED ON A NORTHEASTERLY HEADING FOR 18 MILES AND THEN TURNED TO A WESTERLY HEADING AND CONTINUED ON THIS HEADING UNTIL IT WAS ABOUT 8 MILES NORTH OF TRK. THE PLT THEN TURNED THE ACFT ON A SOUTHWESTERLY HEADING UNTIL COLLIDING WITH A TREE AT THE 5000 MSL LEVEL. THE AUTOMATIC WEATHER OBSERVATION DISCLOSED RAIN EXISTED NEAR THE ACCIDENT AREA AT THE TIME OF THE ACCIDENT. THE RADAR DATA SHOWED THE AIRCRAFT TO BE FLYING ALONG A RIDGE THAT TRAVERSES THE AIRPORT 8 MILES TO THE NORTH OF TRK IN AN EAST/WEST DIRECTION. THE WRECKAGE EXAMINATION DISCLOSED NO EVIDENCE OF ANY PREIMPACT MALFUNCTIONS AND/0R FAILURES.
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: 500 hours in all
- Medical certificate: Class 3 (expired)
- Seat: left
The aircraft
- Last inspection: inspection type not recorded
- Maximum gross weight: 2,000 lb
- Seats: 4
- Landing gear: fixed
- Engine: Lycoming O-360-A4K (piston); 0 hours total
The flight
- Departed from: TRK Truckee-Tahoe CA at 5:00 pm
- Destination: CCR Concord CA
- Flight plan: none
- Runway 0
Weather at the time
- Light: night, dark
- Wind: from 190° at 11 knots, gusting 28
- Sky: overcast; not recorded
- Temperature: 30°F (-1°C), dew point 21°F (-6°C)
Injuries
| Fatal | Serious | Minor | None | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Crew | 1 | |||
| Passengers | 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.