Beech 77 accident near Lakeport, California, July 23, 1997
On July 23, 1997 at about 4:00 pm local time, a Beech 77, registered N1848F, was substantially damaged in an accident near Lakeport, California. It was an instructional flight under general aviation rules (Part 91). No one was hurt; 2 people were on board or involved. The weather was visual conditions (good weather).
The NTSB's probable cause their words, unchanged
carburetor ice, and the failure of both pilot's to use (or properly use) carburetor heat. Factors relating to the accident were: the weather (carburetor icing) conditions, and obstructions in the forced landing area (grape vineyard).
Source: NTSB aviation accident database, copy made October 5, 2026. Docket and reports at the NTSB.
What the record shows
- Date
- July 23, 1997 · about 4:00 pm local time
- Place
- Lakeport, California · map
- Type
- Accident
- Injuries
- No one was hurt; 2 people were on board or involved.
- Weather
- visual conditions (good weather)
- Aircraft
- Beech 77 · all 77s on the register
- Registration
- N1848F · no longer on the register · serial 1675
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Instructional flight · general aviation rules (Part 91)
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
The aircraft was owned and operated by the pilot and was on a local instructional flight to complete the pilot's biennial flight review. The pilot and instructor reported that they were performing a series of slow flight maneuvers and stalls. The engine lost power and could not be restarted, and the pilots were forced to land in a vineyard. On-ground collision with grape vines and the supporting wooden posts and wires damaged the aircraft. An FAA inspector reported that rotation of the crankshaft produced compression in each cylinder, with accessory gear and valve train continuity established. The carburetor and fuel system were examined, with no abnormality noted. Both magnetos sparked with hand rotation. About 13 miles west at Ukiah, California, the 0845 weather observation showed that the temperature and dew point were 60 and 51 degrees Fahrenheit. Review of a carburetor icing probability chart revealed that the temperature and dew point were within an area of the graph annotated 'serious icing - cruise or climb power.'
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: 333 hours in all; 333 in this make and model; 2 in the last 90 days; 1 in the last 30 days; 288 as pilot in command
- Medical certificate: Class 3 (valid medical--w/ waivers/lim.)
- Seat: left
The aircraft
- Airframe total time: 2,470 hours
- Last inspection: annual inspection, December 13, 1996; 30 hours since
- Maximum gross weight: 1,675 lb
- Seats: 2
- Landing gear: fixed
- Engine: Lycoming O-235-L2C (piston); 0 hours total
The flight
- Departed from: 1O2 at 3:30 pm
- Flight plan: none
- Runway 0
- A second pilot was aboard
Weather at the time
- Light: daylight
- Wind: from 120° at 3 knots
- Visibility: 20 statute miles
- Sky: scat at 25,000 ft
- Temperature: 61°F (16°C), dew point 52°F (11°C)
- Altimeter: 30.00 inHg
- Observation at 3:45 pm from UKI, 13 miles away
Injuries
| Fatal | Serious | Minor | None | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Crew | 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.