Amateur-built DH 82A TIGER MOTH accident near Orland, California, June 5, 1985
On June 5, 1985 at about 10:40 pm local time, a amateur-built DH 82A TIGER MOTH, registered N99108, was destroyed in an accident near Orland, California. It was a personal flight under general aviation rules (Part 91). 2 people were seriously injured. The weather was visual conditions (good weather).
The NTSB's probable cause their words, unchanged
The NTSB has not yet published a probable cause for this accident. Investigations usually take one to two years; this page updates when the final report is released.
Source: NTSB aviation accident database, copy made October 5, 2026. Docket and reports at the NTSB.
What the record shows
- Date
- June 5, 1985 · about 10:40 pm local time
- Place
- Orland, California · map
- Type
- Accident
- Injuries
- 2 people were seriously injured.
- Weather
- visual conditions (good weather)
- Aircraft
- Amateur-built DH 82A TIGER MOTH DH 82A TIG
- Registration
- N99108 · no longer on the register · serial T5378
- Damage
- Destroyed
- Flight
- Personal flight · general aviation rules (Part 91)
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
THE PLT REPORTED THAT DURING A LOOP, THE ENG LOST POWER, THEN THE ACFT ENTERED AN INVERTED SPIN. HE SAID THAT HE HAD GOTTEN OUT OF THE INVERTED SPIN & WAS RECOVERING FROM A REGULAR SPIN WHEN THE ACFT STRUCK THE GROUND. ACCORDING TO A WITNESS, THE PLT ENTERED THE MANEUVER FROM A VERY LOW ALTITUDE & THE ENG STALLED AS THE ACFT WAS GOING STRAIGHT UP. NO PREIMPACT PART FAILURE OR MALFUNCTION WAS FOUND. THE PLT WAS OBSERVED CONSUMING SEVERAL BEERS PRIOR TO THE ACDNT. A BLOOD TEST SHOWED THAT HE HAD AN ALCOHOL LEVEL OF 0.145%.
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: airline transport pilot, flight engineer
- Ratings: multi-engine land; single-engine land; instrument: airplane
- Flight time: 11,190 hours in all
- Medical certificate: Class 1 (valid medical--w/ waivers/lim.)
- Seat: rear
The aircraft
- Last inspection: inspection type not recorded
- Maximum gross weight: 1,770 lb
- Seats: 2
- Landing gear: fixed
- Engine: Unknown UNK/NR (piston); 0 hours total
The flight
- Departed from: 037
- Destination: 037
- Flight plan: none
- Runway 0
Weather at the time
- Light: daylight
- Wind: from 140° at 12 knots
- Visibility: 40 statute miles
- Sky: broken clouds at 25,000 ft; scat at 15,000 ft
- Temperature: 0°F (-18°C), dew point 0°F (-18°C)
- Altimeter: 29.00 inHg
- Observation at 10:45 pm from CIC, 16 miles away
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.