Piper PA-28-161 accident near Grass Valley, California, May 16, 1993
On May 16, 1993 at about 9:35 am local time, a Piper PA-28-161, registered N26075, was involved in an accident near Grass Valley, California (Nevada County airport). It was a personal flight under general aviation rules (Part 91). 2 people were killed and 2 people were seriously injured. The weather was visual conditions (good weather).
The NTSB's probable cause their words, unchanged
THE PILOT PREMATURELY RAISING THE AIRPLANE'S FLAPS AT AN AIRSPEED INSUFFICIENT TO MAINTAIN FLIGHT WHICH RESULTED IN AN INADVERTENT STALL MUSH CONDITION. A FACTOR IN THIS ACCIDENT WAS THE DARKNESS OF THE NIGHT.
Source: NTSB aviation accident database, copy made October 5, 2026. Docket and reports at the NTSB.
What the record shows
- Date
- May 16, 1993 · about 9:35 am local time
- Place
- Grass Valley, California · Nevada County · map
- Type
- Accident
- Injuries
- 2 people were killed and 2 people were seriously injured.
- Weather
- visual conditions (good weather)
- Aircraft
- Piper PA-28-161 · all PA-28-161s on the register
- Registration
- N26075 · no longer on the register · serial 28-8516087
- Damage
- Not recorded
- Flight
- Personal flight · general aviation rules (Part 91)
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
THE PILOT SAID THAT HE AND HIS THREE PASSENGERS WERE FLYING A NIGHT CROSS COUNTRY FLIGHT TO GO ON A CAMPING TRIP. HE SAID THAT HE BECAME DISORIENTED AND APPROACHED WHAT HE THOUGHT WAS HIS DESTINATION. HE SAID IT WAS A DARK NIGHT AND THAT HE NOTED THE RUNWAY ALIGNMENT WAS NOT 'CORRECT'. HE ACTIVATED THE AIRPORT'S RUNWAY LIGHT AND STARTED AN APPROACH TO LAND. DURING THE APPROACH, HE DISCOVERED THAT THE AIRPORT WAS NOT HIS DESTINATION AIRPORT. HE SAID HE DECIDED TO LAND AND DETERMINE HIS LOCATION. HE SAID THAT ON SHORT FINAL HE NOTED THAT HE WAS TOO HIGH TO LAND AND HE DECIDED TO MAKE A GO AROUND. THE PILOT SAID HE INCREASED TO FULL POWER AND COULD NOT GET A POSITIVE RATE OF CLIMB. HE SAID HE THOUGHT HE GOT 'ONE NOTCH OF FLAPS OUT'. HE SAID HE TURNED TO THE LEFT TO AVOID RISING TERRAIN. DURING THE TURN THE AIRPLANE COLLIDED WITH TREES AND CAUGHT ON FIRE. EXAMINATION OF THE FLAP HANDLE INDICATED THE FLAPS WERE FULLY RETRACTED. AN EXAMINATION OF THE AIRPLANE AND ENGINE DID NOT REVEAL ANY PRE EXISTING DEFICIENCIES.
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: 172 hours in all; 113 in this make and model; 18 in the last 90 days; 2 in the last 30 days; 118 as pilot in command
- Medical certificate: Class 3 (valid medical--w/ waivers/lim.)
- Seat: left
The aircraft
- Airframe total time: 6,900 hours
- Last inspection: annual inspection, April 22, 1993; 40 hours since
- Maximum gross weight: 2,440 lb
- Seats: 4
- Landing gear: fixed
- Engine: Lycoming O-320-D3G (piston); 0 hours total
- Fire on the ground
- Operator: Laron Enterprises, INC.
The flight
- Departed from: TCY Tracy CA at 8:30 am
- Destination: Q61 Georgetown CA
- Flight plan: none
- Runway 7, 3,920 ft by 50 ft
Weather at the time
- Light: night, dark
- Visibility: 10 statute miles
- Sky: scat at 20,000 ft
- Temperature: 61°F (16°C), dew point 55°F (13°C)
- Altimeter: 29.00 inHg
- Observation at 8:55 am from BAB, 27 miles away
Injuries
| Fatal | Serious | Minor | None | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Crew | 1 | |||
| Passengers | 2 | 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.
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.