Piper PA-28-201T accident near So. Lake Tahoe, California, December 9, 1985
On December 9, 1985, a Piper PA-28-201T, registered N2854R, was destroyed in an accident near So. Lake Tahoe, California. It was a personal flight under general aviation rules (Part 91). 3 people were killed. 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
- December 9, 1985
- Place
- So. Lake Tahoe, California
- Type
- Accident
- Injuries
- 3 people were killed.
- Weather
- visual conditions (good weather)
- Aircraft
- Piper PA-28-201T · all PA-28-201Ts on the register
- Registration
- N2854R · no longer on the register · serial 287921065
- Damage
- Destroyed
- Flight
- Personal flight · general aviation rules (Part 91)
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
PRIOR TO DEPARTING ON A VFR FLT FROM SOUTH LAKE TAHOE, CA, TO TRACY, CA, THE PLT FAILED TO OBTAIN A WX BRIEFING OR FILE A FLT PLAN. WX AT THE ARPT OF DEPARTURE WAS REPORTED AS SCATTERED CLOUDS AT 1500 FT, BROKEN CEILING CONDITIONS AT AN ESTIMATED 3000 FT, VISIBILITY 20 MILES, TEMP 30 DEGREES F., DEW POINT 16 DEGREES F., WITH LIGHT SNOW FALLING AT THE TIMEOF TAKEOFF. AN ELT SIGNAL WAS RECEIVED BY A SATELLITE AND TRANSPORT ACFT AT APRX 1721 HRS AND WAS REPORTED TO SCOTT AFB ASR CENTER. A CAP ACFT WAS DISPATCHED TO THE REPORTED COORDINATES AND THE ACFT'S WRECKAGE WAS LOCATED AT ABOUT 1100 HRS ON THE MORNING FOLLOWING THE ACCIDENT. WX CONDITIONS NEAR THE ACCIDENT SITE WERE FORECAST TO BE OBSCURED WITH PRECIPITATION DURING THE TIME OF THE ACCIDENT.
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: 103 hours in all; 63 in this make and model; 34 in the last 90 days; 15 in the last 30 days; 76 as pilot in command
- Medical certificate: Class 3 (valid medical--no waivers/lim.)
- Seat: left
The aircraft
- Airframe total time: 632 hours
- Last inspection: 100-hour inspection, November 4, 1986; 16 hours since
- Maximum gross weight: 2,900 lb
- Seats: 4
- Landing gear: fixed
- Engine: Continental TSIO-360-FB (piston); 0 hours total
The flight
- Departed from: TVL S. Lake Tahoe CA at 10:55 pm
- Destination: 1Q4 Tracy CA
- Flight plan: none
- Runway 0
Weather at the time
- Light: daylight
- Visibility: 20 statute miles
- Sky: broken clouds at 3,000 ft; scat at 1,500 ft
- Temperature: 30°F (-1°C), dew point 16°F (-9°C)
- Altimeter: 30.00 inHg
- Observation at 10:45 pm from TVL, 10 miles away
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.