Piper PA-30 accident near Jarbridge, Nevada, July 28, 1985
On July 28, 1985 at about 10:00 pm local time, a Piper PA-30, registered N7AT, was destroyed in an accident near Jarbridge, Nevada (Diamond A Ranch airport). It was a personal flight under general aviation rules (Part 91). 1 person was seriously injured and 2 people had minor injuries; 1 other was unhurt. 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
- July 28, 1985 · about 10:00 pm local time
- Place
- Jarbridge, Nevada · Diamond A Ranch · map
- Type
- Accident
- Injuries
- 1 person was seriously injured and 2 people had minor injuries; 1 other was unhurt.
- Weather
- visual conditions (good weather)
- Aircraft
- Piper PA-30 · all PA-30s on the register
- Registration
- N7AT · no longer on the register · serial 30-97
- Damage
- Destroyed
- Flight
- Personal flight · general aviation rules (Part 91)
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
SHORTLY AFTER DEPARTURE THE LEFT WING WAS RAISED BY A GUST OF WIND. DURING CORRECTION THE AIRCRAFT THEN YAWED RIGHT. ALMOST FULL AILERON WAS USED TO MAINTAIN LEVEL FLIGHT. THE AIRCRAFT THEN DESCENDED TO THE GROUND. INSPECTION OF THE AIRCRAFT REVEALED NO ENGINE OR CONTROL MALFUNCTION. IT IS POSSIBLE THAT THE AIRCRAFT ENCOUNTERED SOME SORT OF DOWN DRAFT OR OTHER WEATHER PHENOMENON.
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: flight instructor, commercial pilot
- Ratings: multi-engine land; single-engine land; instructor: airplane multi-engine; instructor: airplane single-engine; instrument: airplane
- Flight time: 3,406 hours in all; 1,347 in this make and model; 27 in the last 90 days; 3,264 as pilot in command
- Medical certificate: Class 2 (valid medical--w/ waivers/lim.)
- Seat: left
The aircraft
- Airframe total time: 3,521 hours
- Last inspection: 100-hour inspection, November 8, 1984; 46 hours since
- Maximum gross weight: 3,600 lb
- Seats: 4
- Landing gear: retractable
- Engine: Lycoming I-0320-B1A (piston); 0 hours total
The flight
- Departed from: Jarbridge NV at 10:00 pm
- Destination: SCK Stockton CA
- Flight plan: none
- Runway 0, 2,900 ft
Weather at the time
- Light: daylight
- Wind: from 360° at 5 knots
- Visibility: 50 statute miles
- Sky: clear
- Temperature: 72°F (22°C), dew point 0°F (-18°C)
- Observation at 3:30 pm
Injuries
| Fatal | Serious | Minor | None | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Crew | 1 | |||
| Passengers | 1 | 1 | 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.