Bellanca CITABRIA accident near Auburn, California, September 25, 1989
On September 25, 1989 at about 1:30 am local time, a Bellanca CITABRIA, registered N1679G, was substantially damaged in an accident near Auburn, California (Auburn airport). It was a personal flight under general aviation rules (Part 91). 1 person had minor injuries. The weather was visual conditions (good weather).
The NTSB's probable cause their words, unchanged
THE PILOT'S INADVERTENT ACTIVATION OF NOSE DOWN TRIM WHICH RESULTED IN A LOSS OF CONTROL AND COLLISION WITH A TREE. CONTRIBUTING FACTOR(S) WAS: THE PILOT'S LACK OF EXPERIENCE IN THIS TYPE OF AIRPLANE.
Source: NTSB aviation accident database, copy made October 5, 2026. Docket and reports at the NTSB.
What the record shows
- Date
- September 25, 1989 · about 1:30 am local time
- Place
- Auburn, California · Auburn · map
- Type
- Accident
- Injuries
- 1 person had minor injuries.
- Weather
- visual conditions (good weather)
- Aircraft
- Bellanca CITABRIA
- Registration
- N1679G · no longer on the register
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Personal flight · general aviation rules (Part 91)
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
THIS WAS PILOT'S FIRST SOLO IN THIS AIRCRAFT AFTER LAST HOUR WITH A CFI. THE PILOT REPORTED HE PROBABLY STALLED THE AIRCRAFT DURING THE APPROACH. HE INDICATED HE ACCIDENTLY MOVED THE TRIM KNOB TO THE NOSE DOWN POSITION INSTEAD OF USING THE THROTTLE KNOB TO CORRECT FOR A LOW APPROACH.
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: 347 hours in all; 5 in this make and model
- Medical certificate: Class 3 (valid medical--w/ waivers/lim.)
- Seat: unk
The aircraft
- Last inspection: inspection type not recorded; 0 hours since
- Maximum gross weight: 1,650 lb
- Seats: 2
- Landing gear: fixed
- Engine: Avco Lycoming IO-320-E2A (piston); 0 hours total
The flight
- Flight plan: none
- Runway 25, 3,100 ft by 60 ft
Weather at the time
- Light: dusk
- Wind: from 250° at 5 knots
- Visibility: 20 statute miles
- Sky: clear
- Temperature: 70°F (21°C), dew point 0°F (-18°C)
Injuries
| Fatal | Serious | Minor | None | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Crew | 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.
Other NTSB records under N1679G the same tail number, which may have belonged to a different aircraft at the time
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.