Alturas Airport
Aircraft Accident/Incident Report

Alturas, California 66101
Saturday, January 7, 1989 11:55 PST

NTSB Narrative Summary Released at Completion of Accident

THE PILOT REPORTED THAT WHILE DOING TOUCH AND GO LANDINGS, ON A RUNWAY LIGHTLY COVERED WITH SNOW, HE LOST CONTROL OF THE AIRPLANE. THE AIRPLANE DRIFTED OFF THE RUNWAY TO THE LEFT INTO ABOUT ONE FOOT OF SNOW AND NOSED OVER. THERE WERE NO REPORTED MECHANICAL MALFUNCTIONS OR FAILURES OF THE AIRPLANE.

NTSB Probable Cause Narrative

THE FAILURE OF THE INSTRUCTOR PILOT TO MAINTAIN DIRECTIONAL CONTROL OF THE AIRPLANE ON THE SNOW-COVERED RUNWAY, RESULTING IN A NOSE-OVER WHEN THE AIRPLANE CONTINUED OFF THE RUNWAY INTO DEEPER SNOW.

Event Information

Type of Event Accident
Event Date 1/7/1989
Event Day of the Week Saturday
Time of Event 1155
Event Time Zone Pacific Standard Time
Event City ALTURAS
Event State CALIFORNIA
Event Country --
Zipcode of the event site 66101
Event Date Year 1989
Event Date Month 1
MidAir Collision Indicator No
On Ground Collision occurred ? No
Event Location Latitude
Event Location Longitude
Event Location Airport ALTURAS
Event Location Nearest Airport ID UTC
Indicates whether the acc/inc occurred off or on an airport On Airport
Distance from airport in statute miles 0
Degrees magnetic from airport 0
Airport Elevation 4375
Weather Briefing Completeness Unknown
Investigator's weather source Weather Observation Facility
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 12000
Lowest Non-Ceiling Height 4000
Sky/Lowest/Cloud Conditions Scattered
Sky Condition for Lowest Ceiling Broken
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) -2
Dew Point at event time (in degress fahrenheit) -4
Wind Direction (degrees magnetic) 120
Variable Wind Indicator Unknown
Wind Speed (knots) 4
Wind Velocity Indicator Unknown
Wind Gust Indicator Not Gusting
Wind Gust (knots) 0
Altimeter Setting at event time (in. Hg) 30
Density Altitude (feet) --
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) 226
NTSB Notification Source --
NTSB Notification Date Jan 9 1989 12:00AM
NTSB Notification Time 1345
Fiche Number and/or location -used to find docket information 38544
Date of most recent change to record Dec 13 2000 12:25PM
User who most recently changed record dbo
Basic weather conditions Visual Meteorological Cond
FAA District Office --

Aircraft Involved

Aircraft #1

Aircraft Registration Number N3857Q
NTSB Number LAX89LA080
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 172
Aircraft Series Identifier 172
Aircraft Serial Number 17259957
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 100 Hour
Date of Last Inspection Nov 8 1988 12:00AM
Airframe hours since last inspection 65
Airframe Hours 2914
ELT Installed Yes
ELT Activated Yes
ELT Aided Location of Event Site No
ELT Type --
Aircraft Owner Name RICHARD D CLOUGH
Aircraft Owner Street Address P.O. BOX 1485
Aircraft Owner City ALTURAS
Aircraft Owner State CA
Aircraft Owner Country
Aircraft Owner Zipcode 96101
Operator is an individual? --
Operator Name CLOUGH, RICHARD
Operator Same as Owner? No
Operator Is Doing Business As --
Operator Address Same as Owner? No
Operator Street Address P.O. BOX 1485
Operator City ALTURAS
Operator State CA
Operator Country
Operator Zip code 96101
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) Instructional
Second Pilot on Board Yes
Departure Point Same as Event Yes
Departure Airport Code
Departure City
Departure State
Departure Country
Departure Time 1045
Departure Time Zone PST
Destination Same as Local Flt dest & departure same, accident can occur anywhere
Destination Airport Code
Destination City
Destination State
Destination Country
Specific Phase of Flight Landing
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 31
Runway Length 4300
Runway Width 50
Sight Seeing flight No
Air Medical Flight No
Medical Flight --