Sierraville Airport
Aircraft Accident/Incident Report

Sierraville, California 96126
Sunday, April 30, 1989 16:40 PDT

NTSB Narrative Summary Released at Completion of Accident

THE PILOT STATED THAT THE WINDS WERE OUT OF 210 DEGREES AT 12 KTS. A WITNESS OBSERVED THE AIRCRAFT APPROACHING RUNWAY 03 LOW AND FAST. SHE STATED THAT THE MAIN GEAR HAD JUST TOUCHED DOWN ON THE RUNWAY WHEN A GUST OF WIND FROM THE RIGHT LIFTED THE RIGHT WING. THE PILOT PULLED THE NOSE UP IN WHAT APPEARED TO BE A GO AROUND, HOWEVER, THE WING STALLED AND CONTACTED THE RUNWAY. THE PILOT REPORTED ENCOUNTERING A SEVERE DOWNDRAFT WHILE ON FINAL APPROACH, ADDING FULL POWER AND ENCOUNTERING ANOTHER DOWNDRAFT BEFORE COLLIDING WITH THE RUNWAY.

NTSB Probable Cause Narrative

THE PILOT'S ATTEMPT TO LAND DOWNWIND ON THE RUNWAY AND THE INABILITY TO ATTAIN A CLIMB AFTER ABORTING THE LANDING WHICH RESULTED IN A STALL AND UNCONTROLLED DESCENT INTO THE GROUND.

Event Information

Type of Event Accident
Event Date 4/30/1989
Event Day of the Week Sunday
Time of Event 1640
Event Time Zone Pacific Daylight Time
Event City SIERRAVILLE
Event State CALIFORNIA
Event Country --
Zipcode of the event site 96126
Event Date Year 1989
Event Date Month 4
MidAir Collision Indicator No
On Ground Collision occurred ? No
Event Location Latitude
Event Location Longitude
Event Location Airport SIERRAVILLE
Event Location Nearest Airport ID O79
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 4984
Weather Briefing Completeness Unknown
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 8000
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) 20
Air Temperature at event time (in degrees celsius) 16
Dew Point at event time (in degress fahrenheit) 9
Wind Direction (degrees magnetic) 210
Variable Wind Indicator Unknown
Wind Speed (knots) 12
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) 348
NTSB Notification Source --
NTSB Notification Date Apr 30 1989 12:00AM
NTSB Notification Time 1843
Fiche Number and/or location -used to find docket information 38727
Date of most recent change to record Dec 13 2000 12:36PM
User who most recently changed record dbo
Basic weather conditions Visual Meteorological Cond
FAA District Office --

Aircraft Involved

Aircraft #1

Aircraft Registration Number N3169V
NTSB Number LAX89LA176
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 Ground
Aircraft Explosion None
Aircraft Manufacturer's Full Name BEECH
Aircraft Model 35
Aircraft Series Identifier 35
Aircraft Serial Number D-602
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 Retractable
Aircraft, Type of Last Inspection Annual
Date of Last Inspection --
Airframe hours since last inspection 200
Airframe Hours 3920
ELT Installed Yes
ELT Activated Yes
ELT Aided Location of Event Site No
ELT Type --
Aircraft Owner Name ROBERT J. REFFITT
Aircraft Owner Street Address 113 SEPUIGA DR.
Aircraft Owner City BROWNESMELL
Aircraft Owner State NJ
Aircraft Owner Country
Aircraft Owner Zipcode
Operator is an individual? --
Operator Name
Operator Same as Owner? Yes
Operator Is Doing Business As --
Operator Address Same as Owner? Yes
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) Personal
Second Pilot on Board No
Departure Point Same as Event No
Departure Airport Code 005
Departure City DAVIS
Departure State CA
Departure Country
Departure Time 1530
Departure Time Zone PDT
Destination Same as Local Flt crash at destination city
Destination Airport Code
Destination City
Destination State
Destination Country
Specific Phase of Flight Descent
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 3
Runway Length 3260
Runway Width 50
Sight Seeing flight No
Air Medical Flight No
Medical Flight --