Consolidated Aeronautics INC. LAKE LA-4-200 accident near Truckee, California, June 9, 1985
On June 9, 1985 at about 2:39 am local time, a Consolidated Aeronautics INC. LAKE LA-4-200, registered N80030, was destroyed in an accident near Truckee, California (Unknown airport). 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 9, 1985 · about 2:39 am local time
- Place
- Truckee, California · Unknown
- Type
- Accident
- Injuries
- 2 people were seriously injured.
- Weather
- visual conditions (good weather)
- Aircraft
- Consolidated Aeronautics INC. LAKE LA-4-200 LAKE LA-4- · all LAKE LA-4-200s on the register
- Registration
- N80030 · registry record · serial 1018
- Damage
- Destroyed
- Flight
- Personal flight · general aviation rules (Part 91)
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
CONTRARY TO COMMON DEPARTURE PRACTICE, THE PILOT COMMENCED HIS TAKEOFF FROM THE LAKE HEADED WESTBOUND AND TOWARDS RISING TERRAIN. ADDITIONALLY, HE FAILED TO USE ALL THE TAKEOFF SURFACE AVAILABLE. THE DENSITY ALTITUDE AT DONNER LAKE AT THE TIME OF THE ACCIDENT WAS APPROXIMATELY 8000 FEET.
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: 325 hours in all; 25 in this make and model
- Medical certificate: Class 2 (valid medical--no waivers/lim.)
- Seat: unk
The aircraft
- Airframe total time: 170 hours
- Last inspection: annual inspection, May 17, 1985; 13 hours since
- Maximum gross weight: 2,690 lb
- Seats: 4
- Landing gear: fixed
- Engine: Lycoming IO-360-A1B (piston); 0 hours total
The flight
- Departed from: Donner Lake CA at 2:38 am
- Flight plan: none
- Runway 0
Weather at the time
- Light: daylight
- Wind: from 150° at 10 knots
- Visibility: 50 statute miles
- Sky: clear
- Temperature: 66°F (19°C), dew point 50°F (10°C)
- Altimeter: 30.00 inHg
- Observation at 2:45 am from TVL, 29 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.