Cessna 172E accident near Grass Valley, California, June 18, 1989
On June 18, 1989 at about 11:45 pm local time, a Cessna 172E, registered N3618S, was substantially damaged in an accident near Grass Valley, California (Nevada CO. Airpark airport). It was a personal flight under general aviation rules (Part 91). No one was hurt; 4 people were on board or involved. The weather was visual conditions (good weather).
The NTSB's probable cause their words, unchanged
FAILURE TO PERFORM MAINTENANCE INSPECTIONS PRESCRIBED BY THE MAGNETO, ENGINE AND AIRCRAFT MANUFACTURERS. THE HIGH DENSITY ALTITUDE AND TERRAIN CONDITIONS WERE CONTRIBUTING FACTORS.
Source: NTSB aviation accident database, copy made October 5, 2026. Docket and reports at the NTSB.
What the record shows
- Date
- June 18, 1989 · about 11:45 pm local time
- Place
- Grass Valley, California · Nevada CO. Airpark · map
- Type
- Accident
- Injuries
- No one was hurt; 4 people were on board or involved.
- Weather
- visual conditions (good weather)
- Aircraft
- Cessna 172E · all 172Es on the register
- Registration
- N3618S · no longer on the register · serial 17250818
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Personal flight · general aviation rules (Part 91)
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
THE PILOT REPORTED THE AIRCRAFT CLIMBED 50 TO 150 FEET ABOVE THE RUNWAY WHEN THE ENGINE BEGAN RUNNING ROUGH AND LOOSING POWER. HE WAS UNABLE TO MAINTAIN ALTITUDE AND ELECTED TO LAND ON A ROAD. THE AIRCRAFT'S WING STRUCK A BRIDGE DURING THE LANDING ROLL AND THE AIRCRAFT OVERTURNED. THE ENGINE LOG REFLECTED THAT THE RIGHT MAGNETO POINTS AND DISTRIBUTOR BLOCK WERE REPLACED AND BOTH MAGNETOS WERE RETIMED ON JULY 14, 1981 AT 4329 TOTAL AIRFRAME HOURS. THERE WAS NO EVIDENCE THAT INSPECTIONS WERE PERFORMED DURING THE EIGHT YEARS AND 1,233 OPERATIONAL HOURS PRECEDING THE ACCIDENT. DURING THE POST ACCIDENT ENGINE TEST THE RIGHT MAGNETO FAILED AFTER OPERATING FOR 10 MINUTES. AN EXAMINATION OF THE RIGHT MAGNETO COIL DISCLOSED EVIDENCE OF ARCING.
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: commercial pilot
- Ratings: single-engine land; instructor: airplane single-engine; instructor: glider; instrument: airplane; rotorcraft: glider
- Flight time: 2,795 hours in all; 1,740 in this make and model; 27 in the last 90 days; 23 in the last 30 days; 2,685 as pilot in command; 400 on instruments
- Medical certificate: Class 2 (valid medical--w/ waivers/lim.)
- Seat: left
The aircraft
- Airframe total time: 5,562 hours
- Last inspection: annual inspection, December 13, 1988; 53 hours since
- Maximum gross weight: 2,300 lb
- Seats: 4
- Landing gear: fixed
- Engine: Continental O-300 (piston); 0 hours total
The flight
- Flight plan: none
- Runway 25, 3,920 ft by 50 ft
Weather at the time
- Light: daylight
- Wind: from 150° at 10 knots
- Visibility: 30 statute miles
- Sky: clear
- Temperature: 97°F (36°C), dew point 48°F (9°C)
- Altimeter: 29.00 inHg
- Observation at 11:50 pm from MYV, 25 miles away
Injuries
| Fatal | Serious | Minor | None | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Crew | 1 | |||
| Passengers | 3 |
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.