Weaverville Airport
Aircraft Accident/Incident Report

Weaverville, California 96093
Wednesday, June 9, 1999 18:00 PDT

NTSB Narrative Summary Released at Completion of Accident

The private pilot reported that he obtained his license so that he could make routine trips of a 100 plus miles over mountainous terrain for business. He had made the roundtrip several times but had never landed at any of the four alternate airports along the route. On the day of the accident he decided to take a friend with him on this routine trip and checkout the airports on the way back. The first airport was closed so they overflew the runway at 500 agl. They landed at the second airport, then departed. At the third airport they performed a touch-and-go landing. The pilot informed his passenger that they would not be landing at the fourth airport, but instead they would perform a low-level flyby. During the pilot's training his flight instructor had informed him that the accident airport was a one-way runway due to obstructions at the north end. According to published information you land on runway 36 and take off on runway 18 due to rising terrain and unfavorable winds. During the low-level flyby of runway 36, about 15 to 20 feet agl, the pilot reported that he experienced a strong downdraft, and subsequently during the attempted go-around into rising terrain, the airplane collided with trees. The pilot reported that the wind was 300 degrees at 10 knots. The density altitude was calculated about 3,773 feet.

NTSB Probable Cause Narrative

the pilot's failure to follow prescribed procedures and directives for the particular airport.

Event Information

Type of Event Accident
Event Date 6/9/1999
Event Day of the Week Wednesday
Time of Event 1800
Event Time Zone Pacific Daylight Time
Event City WEAVERVILLE
Event State CALIFORNIA
Event Country --
Zipcode of the event site 96093
Event Date Year 1999
Event Date Month 6
MidAir Collision Indicator No
On Ground Collision occurred ? No
Event Location Latitude
Event Location Longitude
Event Location Airport WEAVERVILLE
Event Location Nearest Airport ID 054
Indicates whether the acc/inc occurred off or on an airport Off Airport/Airstrip
Distance from airport in statute miles 1
Degrees magnetic from airport 360
Airport Elevation 2250
Weather Briefing Completeness Full
Investigator's weather source Pilot
Time of the weather observation 0
Direction of event from weather observation facility (degrees) 0
Weather Observation Facility ID
Elevation of weather observation facility 0
Distance of event from weather observation facility (units?) 0
Time Zone of the weather observation
Lighting Conditions Day
Lowest Ceiling Height 0
Lowest Non-Ceiling Height 12000
Sky/Lowest/Cloud Conditions Scattered
Sky Condition for Lowest Ceiling None
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) 24
Dew Point at event time (in degress fahrenheit) --
Wind Direction (degrees magnetic) 300
Variable Wind Indicator Unknown
Wind Speed (knots) 10
Wind Velocity Indicator Unknown
Wind Gust Indicator Unknown
Wind Gust (knots) 0
Altimeter Setting at event time (in. Hg) 30
Density Altitude (feet) 3773
Intensity of Precipitation Unknown
METAR weather report --
Event Highest Injury None
On Ground, Fatal Injuries 0
On Ground, Minor Injuries 0
On Ground, Serious Injuries 0
Injury Total Fatal --
Injury Total Minor --
Injury Total None 2
Injury Total Serious --
Injury Total All --
Investigating Agency NTSB
NTSB Docket Number (internal use) 1443
NTSB Notification Source --
NTSB Notification Date Jun 9 1999 12:00AM
NTSB Notification Time 1845
Fiche Number and/or location -used to find docket information IMAGE
Date of most recent change to record Dec 12 2000 11:39AM
User who most recently changed record dbo
Basic weather conditions Visual Meteorological Cond
FAA District Office --

Aircraft Involved

Aircraft #1

Aircraft Registration Number N5577E
NTSB Number LAX99LA213
Missing Aircraft Indicator N
Federal Aviation Reg. Part Part 91: General Aviation
Type of Flight Plan filed VFR
Flight plan Was Activated? --
Damage Substantial
Aircraft Fire None
Aircraft Explosion None
Aircraft Manufacturer's Full Name Cessna
Aircraft Model 172
Aircraft Series Identifier 172
Aircraft Serial Number 17271892
Certified Max Gross Weight 2300
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 Sep 7 1998 12:00AM
Airframe hours since last inspection 84
Airframe Hours 4393
ELT Installed Yes
ELT Activated Yes
ELT Aided Location of Event Site No
ELT Type --
Aircraft Owner Name STEVE AND REBECCA MILLER
Aircraft Owner Street Address 16945 CAMPO CALLE
Aircraft Owner City REDDING
Aircraft Owner State CA
Aircraft Owner Country
Aircraft Owner Zipcode 96001
Operator is an individual? --
Operator Name HILLSIDE AVIATION
Operator Same as Owner? No
Operator Is Doing Business As --
Operator Address Same as Owner? No
Operator Street Address 2600 GOLD ST.
Operator City REDDING
Operator State CA
Operator Country
Operator Zip code 96001
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 No
Departure Point Same as Event No
Departure Airport Code Q72
Departure City HAYFORK
Departure State CA
Departure Country
Departure Time 1745
Departure Time Zone PDT
Destination Same as Local Flt --
Destination Airport Code O85
Destination City REDDING
Destination State CA
Destination Country
Specific Phase of Flight Approach
Report sent to ICAO? --
Evacuation occurred --
Date of most recent change to record Jan 2 2001 10:35AM
User who most recently changed record dbo
Since inspection or accident --
Event Location Runway Number and Location 36
Runway Length 2980
Runway Width 50
Sight Seeing flight No
Air Medical Flight No
Medical Flight --