Piper PA28-201T accident near So. Lake Tahoe, California, February 16, 1991
On February 16, 1991 at about 11:10 pm local time, a Piper PA28-201T, registered N47569, was substantially damaged in an accident near So. Lake Tahoe, California (Tahoe Valley airport). It was a personal flight under general aviation rules (Part 91). No one was hurt; 3 people were on board or involved. The weather was visual conditions (good weather).
The NTSB's probable cause their words, unchanged
THE PILOT FAILED TO PROPERLY COMPENSATE FOR THE WIND CONDITIONS, ABRUPTLY FLARED THE AIRPLANE, AND INADVERTENLY STALLED THE AIRPLANE. CONTRIBUTING TO THIS ACCIDENT WAS WINDSHEAR.
Source: NTSB aviation accident database, copy made October 5, 2026. Docket and reports at the NTSB.
What the record shows
- Date
- February 16, 1991 · about 11:10 pm local time
- Place
- So. Lake Tahoe, California · Tahoe Valley
- Type
- Accident
- Injuries
- No one was hurt; 3 people were on board or involved.
- Weather
- visual conditions (good weather)
- Aircraft
- Piper PA28-201T · all PA28-201Ts on the register
- Registration
- N47569 · registry record · serial 28R7703400
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Personal flight · general aviation rules (Part 91)
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
THE PILOT WAS LANDING ON RUNWAY 18. THE LOCAL CONTROLLER CAUTIONED THE PILOT OF POSSIBLE WINDSHEAR. THE WINDS AT THE CENTER OF THE RUNWAY WERE 180 DEGREES AT 10 KNOTS, BUT THE WINDS AT THE NORTH END WERE LIGHT AND VARIABLE. GROUND WITNESSES REPORTED THAT THE AIRPLANE FLARED ABRUPTLY AND THEN STALLED. THE PILOT ALSO REPORTED THAT THE AIRPLANE'S AIRSPEED DIMINISHED RAPIDLY DURING THE FLARE MANEUVER AND THE NOSE PITCHED UP ABRUPTLY AND TURNED RIGHT 45 DEGREES RELATIVE TO THE RUNWAY BEARING. EXAMINATION OF THE WRECKAGE DISCLOSED THE AIRPLANE STRUCK THE GROUND IN A NOSE-RIGHT AND DOWN ATTITUDE.
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: 150 hours in all; 4 in this make and model; 4 in the last 90 days; 4 in the last 30 days; 106 as pilot in command
- Medical certificate: Class 3 (valid medical--no waivers/lim.)
- Seat: unk
The aircraft
- Last inspection: inspection type not recorded, January 2, 2000
- Maximum gross weight: 2,900 lb
- Seats: 4
- Landing gear: retractable
- Engine: Continental TSI0-360-F (piston); 0 hours total
- Operator: Squadron II Flying Club
The flight
- Departed from: SJC San Jose CA at 10:00 pm
- Flight plan: VFR
- Runway 18, 8,544 ft by 150 ft
Weather at the time
- Light: daylight
- Wind: from 220° at 13 knots
- Visibility: 40 statute miles
- Sky: scat at 6,000 ft
- Temperature: 0°F (-18°C), dew point 0°F (-18°C)
- Observation at 11:03 pm from TVL, 1 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.