Cessna 152 accident near Upper Lake, California, June 4, 1994
On June 4, 1994 at about 8:22 pm local time, a Cessna 152, registered N94509, was substantially damaged in an accident near Upper Lake, California (Gravelly Valley airport). It was a personal flight under general aviation rules (Part 91). 1 person was seriously injured and 1 person had minor injuries. The weather was visual conditions (good weather).
The NTSB's probable cause their words, unchanged
THE PILOT'S FAILURE TO MAINTAIN ADEQUATE AIRSPEED DURING A GO- AROUND. CONTRIBUTING FACTORS WERE THE PILOT'S DELAYED REMEDIAL ACTION IN INITIATING THE GO-AROUND AND HIS IMPROPER USE OF THE CARBURETOR HEAT DURING THE ATTEMPTED INITIAL CLIMB.
Source: NTSB aviation accident database, copy made October 5, 2026. Docket and reports at the NTSB.
What the record shows
- Date
- June 4, 1994 · about 8:22 pm local time
- Place
- Upper Lake, California · Gravelly Valley · map
- Type
- Accident
- Injuries
- 1 person was seriously injured and 1 person had minor injuries.
- Weather
- visual conditions (good weather)
- Aircraft
- Cessna 152 · all 152s on the register
- Registration
- N94509 · no longer on the register · serial 15285699
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Personal flight · general aviation rules (Part 91)
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
THE PILOT REPORTED THAT HE OVERFLEW THE AIRPORT, OBSERVED THE WINDSOCK, AND NOTED THAT A CROSSWIND CONDITION EXISTED. ON FINAL APPROACH TO THE 4,050-FOOT-LONG RUNWAY, THE AIRPLANE WAS AT VARIOUS TIMES FLYING 'SLOW' AND 'FAST.' THE PILOT ALSO REPORTED THAT THE AIRPLANE 'FLOATED AND FLOATED,' AND IT WAS STILL 30 FEET IN THE AIR AT MIDFIELD. HE INITIATED A GO-AROUND, APPLIED FULL ENGINE POWER, AND LEFT ON THE CARBURETOR HEAT. BY THE TIME THE AIRPLANE REACHED THE DEPARTURE END OF THE RUNWAY, IT HAD CLIMBED TO 50 FEET ABOVE GROUND LEVEL. THE PILOT INITIATED A SLIGHT RIGHT TURN TO AVOID RISING TERRAIN. THE AIRPLANE STALLED AND PANCAKED ONTO THE GROUND.
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: 191 hours in all; 53 in this make and model; 8 in the last 90 days; 5 in the last 30 days; 128 as pilot in command
- Medical certificate: Class 3 (valid medical--no waivers/lim.)
- Seat: left
The aircraft
- Airframe total time: 2,163 hours
- Last inspection: annual inspection, June 3, 1994; 9 hours since
- Maximum gross weight: 1,670 lb
- Seats: 2
- Landing gear: fixed
- Engine: Lycoming O-235-L2C (piston); 0 hours total
- Operator: Pacific States Aviation, INC.
The flight
- Departed from: CCR Concord CA at 7:05 pm
- Destination: 1Q5
- Flight plan: none
- Runway 1, 4,050 ft by 200 ft
Weather at the time
- Light: daylight
- Wind: from 280° at 8 knots, gusting 12
- Visibility: 15 statute miles
- Sky: scat at 5,000 ft
- Temperature: 68°F (20°C), dew point 0°F (-18°C)
Injuries
| Fatal | Serious | Minor | None | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Crew | 1 | |||
| Passengers | 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.