Vanderford Ranch Airport
Aircraft Accident/Incident Report

Yuba City, California 95991
Sunday, February 26, 1989 13:30 PST

NTSB Narrative Summary Released at Completion of Accident

DRG A DUAL INSTRUCTIONAL FLT, THE INSTRUCTOR (CFI) SIMULATED A FORCED LANDING BY REDUCING THE POWER. THE STUDENT MNVRD THE ACFT TO MAKE AN APCH TO A NEARBY AIRSTRIP. IN A STATEMENT AFTER THE ACDNT, THE CFI SAID THAT 'AS THE TURN TO BASE WAS STARTED, THE STUDENT ASKED IF HE WAS GOING TO 'MAKE' IT, AND I RESPONDED IN THE AFFIRMATIVE. AT THAT POINT, HE (THE STUDENT) ADDED A SMALL AMOUNT OF POWER AND I TOLD HIM HE DID NOT HAVE POWER, AS I RETARDED THE THROTTLE AND AGAIN LOOKED OVER HIS SHOULDER TO VIEW THE RUNWAY. WITHIN SECONDS, I COULD FEEL AN ACCELERATED SINK RATE, AND OBSERVED THE RUNWAY DISAPPEARING AT THE TOP OF THE SIDE WINDOW . . .' THE CFI INITIATED A GO-AROUND; HOWEVER, BEFORE THE DSCNT WAS ARRESTED, THE ACFT CONTACTED THE GROUND. SUBSEQUENTLY, THE HORIZONTAL STABILIZERS, NOSE GEAR, PROP & WING TIPS WERE DAMAGED. THERE WERE NO RPRTD MECHANICAL MALFUNCTIONS OR FAILURES WITH THE ACFT BEFORE THE ACDNT.

NTSB Probable Cause Narrative

INADEQUATE SUPERVISION BY THE INSTRUCTOR (CFI) WHICH RESULTED IN A DELAYED GO-AROUND, INADEQUATE AIRSPEED, AND A STALL/MUSH INTO THE GROUND. A POOR APPROACH BY THE STUDENT PILOT WAS A CONTRIBUTING FACTOR.

Event Information

Type of Event Accident
Event Date 2/26/1989
Event Day of the Week Sunday
Time of Event 1330
Event Time Zone Pacific Standard Time
Event City YUBA CITY
Event State CALIFORNIA
Event Country --
Zipcode of the event site 95991
Event Date Year 1989
Event Date Month 2
MidAir Collision Indicator No
On Ground Collision occurred ? No
Event Location Latitude
Event Location Longitude
Event Location Airport VANDERFORD RANCH
Event Location Nearest Airport ID PRVT
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 58
Weather Briefing Completeness Unknown
Investigator's weather source Unknown
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 0
Sky/Lowest/Cloud Conditions Clear
Sky Condition for Lowest Ceiling None
Visibility Runway Visual Range (Feet) 0
Visibility Runway Visual Value (Statute Miles) 0
Visibility (Statute Miles) 10
Air Temperature at event time (in degrees celsius) --
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) --
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) 499
NTSB Notification Source --
NTSB Notification Date Feb 27 1989 12:00AM
NTSB Notification Time 0
Fiche Number and/or location -used to find docket information 38999
Date of most recent change to record Dec 13 2000 12:28PM
User who most recently changed record dbo
Basic weather conditions Visual Meteorological Cond
FAA District Office --

Aircraft Involved

Aircraft #1

Aircraft Registration Number N2377Y
NTSB Number LAX89LA116
Missing Aircraft Indicator N
Federal Aviation Reg. Part Part 91: General Aviation
Type of Flight Plan filed None
Flight plan Was Activated? --
Damage Substantial
Aircraft Fire None
Aircraft Explosion None
Aircraft Manufacturer's Full Name CESSNA
Aircraft Model 177
Aircraft Series Identifier 177
Aircraft Serial Number 17700177
Certified Max Gross Weight 2275
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 Feb 17 1989 12:00AM
Airframe hours since last inspection 38
Airframe Hours --
ELT Installed Yes
ELT Activated No
ELT Aided Location of Event Site No
ELT Type --
Aircraft Owner Name LESTER FULLER
Aircraft Owner Street Address
Aircraft Owner City
Aircraft Owner State
Aircraft Owner Country
Aircraft Owner Zipcode
Operator is an individual? --
Operator Name FULLER, LESTER
Operator Same as Owner? No
Operator Is Doing Business As --
Operator Address Same as Owner? No
Operator Street Address
Operator City
Operator State
Operator Country
Operator Zip code
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 No
Departure Airport Code MYV
Departure City MARYSVILLE
Departure State CA
Departure Country
Departure Time 1200
Departure Time Zone
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 Approach
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 36
Runway Length --
Runway Width --
Sight Seeing flight No
Air Medical Flight No
Medical Flight --