Aircraft Accident/Incident Report

S.Lake Tahoe, California 95705
Saturday, May 16, 1992 13:00 PDT

NTSB Narrative Summary Released at Completion of Accident

THE PILOTS TOOK OFF FROM THEIR HOME AIRPORT FOR A LOCAL FLIGHT. WHEN THEY FAILED TO RETURN FRIENDS INITIATED A NIGHT AERIAL AND GROUND SEARCH FOR THE AIRCRAFT. THE AIRCRAFT'S ELT SIGNAL WAS RECEIVED AND THE GROUND SEARCH TEAM WAS GUIDED TO THE WRECKAGE THAT WAS LOCATED IN A REMOTE DENSE FOREST. ACCORDING TO MEMBERS OF THE SEARCH TEAM THE AIRCRAFT APPEARED TO HAVE STRUCK A TREE TOP NORTH OF THE MAIN WRECKAGE AREA AND NOSED INTO THE GROUND. THE AIRCRAFT CAME TO REST IN A NOSE DOWN, TAIL UP ATTITUDE.

NTSB Probable Cause Narrative

THAT THE PILOT-IN-COMMAND USED POOR JUDGMENT BY FLYING AT AN UNWARRANTED LOW ALTITUDE AND MISJUDGED THE CLEARANCE BETWEEN THE TREE TOPS AND THE AIRPLANE.

Event Information

Type of Event Accident
Event Date 5/16/1992
Event Day of the Week Saturday
Time of Event 1300
Event Time Zone Pacific Daylight Time
Event City S.LAKE TAHOE
Event State CALIFORNIA
Event Country --
Zipcode of the event site 95705
Event Date Year 1992
Event Date Month 5
MidAir Collision Indicator No
On Ground Collision occurred ? No
Event Location Latitude
Event Location Longitude
Event Location Airport
Event Location Nearest Airport ID
Indicates whether the acc/inc occurred off or on an airport Off Airport/Airstrip
Distance from airport in statute miles 0
Degrees magnetic from airport 0
Airport Elevation --
Weather Briefing Completeness Unknown
Investigator's weather source Weather Observation Facility
Time of the weather observation 1245 Pacific Daylight Time
Direction of event from weather observation facility (degrees) 210
Weather Observation Facility ID TVL
Elevation of weather observation facility 6264
Distance of event from weather observation facility (units?) 32
Time Zone of the weather observation PDT
Lighting Conditions Day
Lowest Ceiling Height 25000
Lowest Non-Ceiling Height 6000
Sky/Lowest/Cloud Conditions Scattered
Sky Condition for Lowest Ceiling Overcast
Visibility Runway Visual Range (Feet) 0
Visibility Runway Visual Value (Statute Miles) 0
Visibility (Statute Miles) 50
Air Temperature at event time (in degrees celsius) 20
Dew Point at event time (in degress fahrenheit) 3
Wind Direction (degrees magnetic) 340
Variable Wind Indicator Unknown
Wind Speed (knots) 7
Wind Velocity Indicator Unknown
Wind Gust Indicator Unknown
Wind Gust (knots) 0
Altimeter Setting at event time (in. Hg) --
Density Altitude (feet) 7000
Intensity of Precipitation Unknown
METAR weather report --
Event Highest Injury Fatal
On Ground, Fatal Injuries 0
On Ground, Minor Injuries 0
On Ground, Serious Injuries 0
Injury Total Fatal 1
Injury Total Minor --
Injury Total None --
Injury Total Serious 1
Injury Total All 2
Investigating Agency NTSB
NTSB Docket Number (internal use) 2439
NTSB Notification Source --
NTSB Notification Date May 16 1992 12:00AM
NTSB Notification Time 2200
Fiche Number and/or location -used to find docket information 47151
Date of most recent change to record Dec 11 2000 2:55PM
User who most recently changed record dbo
Basic weather conditions Visual Meteorological Cond
FAA District Office --

Aircraft Involved

Aircraft #1

Aircraft Registration Number N2031G
NTSB Number LAX92LA210
Missing Aircraft Indicator N
Federal Aviation Reg. Part Part 91: General Aviation
Type of Flight Plan filed None
Flight plan Was Activated? --
Damage Destroyed
Aircraft Fire None
Aircraft Explosion None
Aircraft Manufacturer's Full Name CESSNA
Aircraft Model 182A
Aircraft Series Identifier 182A
Aircraft Serial Number 51331
Certified Max Gross Weight 2650
Aircraft Category Airplane
Aircraft Registration Class U.S. Registered/U.S. Soil
Aircraft is a homebuilt? No
Flight Crew Seats --
Cabin Crew Seats --
Passenger Seats --
Total number of seats on the aircraft 4
Number of Engines 1
Fixed gear or retractable gear Fixed
Aircraft, Type of Last Inspection Annual
Date of Last Inspection Mar 20 1992 12:00AM
Airframe hours since last inspection --
Airframe Hours --
ELT Installed Yes
ELT Activated Yes
ELT Aided Location of Event Site Yes
ELT Type --
Aircraft Owner Name ELLIOT, CARL D.
Aircraft Owner Street Address 693 CASEY ST., PO BOX 1178
Aircraft Owner City ALTAVILLE
Aircraft Owner State CA
Aircraft Owner Country
Aircraft Owner Zipcode 95221
Operator is an individual? --
Operator Name ELLIOT, CARL D.
Operator Same as Owner? Yes
Operator Is Doing Business As --
Operator Address Same as Owner? Yes
Operator Street Address 693 CASEY ST., PO BOX 1178
Operator City ALTAVILLE
Operator State CA
Operator Country
Operator Zip code 95221
Operator Code
Owner has at least one certificate None
Other Operator of large aircraft? No
Certified for Part 133 or 137 Operation Unknown
Operator Certificate Number --
Indicates whether an air carrier operation was scheduled or not --
Indicates Domestic or International Flight --
Operator carrying Pax/Cargo/Mail --
Type of Flying (Per_Bus / Primary) Personal
Second Pilot on Board Yes
Departure Point Same as Event No
Departure Airport Code O03
Departure City SAN ANDREAS
Departure State CA
Departure Country
Departure Time 1030
Departure Time Zone PDT
Destination Same as Local Flt dest & departure same, accident can occur anywhere
Destination Airport Code O03
Destination City
Destination State
Destination Country
Specific Phase of Flight Maneuvering
Report sent to ICAO? --
Evacuation occurred --
Date of most recent change to record Jan 2 2001 10:30AM
User who most recently changed record dbo
Since inspection or accident --
Event Location Runway Number and Location 0
Runway Length 0
Runway Width --
Sight Seeing flight No
Air Medical Flight No
Medical Flight --