Alta Sierra Airport
Aircraft Accident/Incident Report

Grass Valley, California 95945
Sunday, July 27, 1986 11:00 PST

NTSB Narrative Summary Released at Completion of Accident

A NAVION A LANDED HARD ON RWY 01 AFTER AN ATTEMPTED GO-AROUND. THE PLT INDICATED THAT HE WAS LANDING TO THE NORTH WITH FULL FLAPS AND DISCOVERED HE HAD A GUSTING TAILWIND. HE INITIATED A GO-AROUND AND AT 50 FT AGL HE BROUGHT THE FLAPS UP HALFWAY. THE ACFT SETTLED AND LANDED HARD ON THE RWY. THE WINDS WERE REPORTED FROM 150 DEG AT 10 KTS 24 NM WEST ARPT. THE FLIGHT TRAINING HANDBOOK, ADVISORY CIRCULAR 61-21A, CAUTIONS PLTS ABOUT THE PREMATURE RETRACTION OF FLAPS DURING A GO-AROUND. IT STATES, 'CAUTION MUST BE USED IN RETRACTING THE FLAPS. DEPENDING ON THE AIRPLANE'S ALTITUDE AND AIR SPEED, IT MAY BE WISE TO RETRACT THE FLAPS INTERMITTENTLY IN SAMLL INCREMENTS TO ALLOW TIME FOR THE AIRPLANE TO ACCELERATE PROGRESSIVELY AS THEY ARE BEING RAISED. A SUDDEN AND COMPLETE RETRACTION OF THE FLAPS AT A VERY LOW AIRSPEED COULD CAUSE A LOSS OF LIFT RESULTING IN THE AIRPLANE SETTLING INTO THE GROUND.'

NTSB Probable Cause Narrative

Not Yet Reported

Event Information

Type of Event Accident
Event Date 7/27/1986
Event Day of the Week Sunday
Time of Event 1100
Event Time Zone Pacific Standard Time
Event City GRASS VALLEY
Event State CALIFORNIA
Event Country --
Zipcode of the event site 95945
Event Date Year 1986
Event Date Month 7
MidAir Collision Indicator No
On Ground Collision occurred ? No
Event Location Latitude
Event Location Longitude
Event Location Airport ALTA SIERRA
Event Location Nearest Airport ID Q62
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 2310
Weather Briefing Completeness Unknown
Investigator's weather source Weather Observation Facility
Time of the weather observation 1053 Pacific Daylight Time
Direction of event from weather observation facility (degrees) 250
Weather Observation Facility ID MYV
Elevation of weather observation facility 62
Distance of event from weather observation facility (units?) 24
Time Zone of the weather observation PDT
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) 23
Dew Point at event time (in degress fahrenheit) --
Wind Direction (degrees magnetic) 150
Variable Wind Indicator Unknown
Wind Speed (knots) 10
Wind Velocity Indicator Unknown
Wind Gust Indicator Not Gusting
Wind Gust (knots) 0
Altimeter Setting at event time (in. Hg) 29
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 4
Injury Total Serious --
Injury Total All --
Investigating Agency NTSB
NTSB Docket Number (internal use) 1719
NTSB Notification Source --
NTSB Notification Date Jul 27 1986 12:00AM
NTSB Notification Time 1500
Fiche Number and/or location -used to find docket information 32150
Date of most recent change to record Jan 2 2001 9:14AM
User who most recently changed record dbo
Basic weather conditions Visual Meteorological Cond
FAA District Office --

Aircraft Involved

Aircraft #1

Aircraft Registration Number N111T
NTSB Number LAX86LA305
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 NAVION
Aircraft Model A
Aircraft Series Identifier A
Aircraft Serial Number NAV-4-140
Certified Max Gross Weight 3000
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 Aug 22 1985 12:00AM
Airframe hours since last inspection 24
Airframe Hours 4829
ELT Installed Yes
ELT Activated No
ELT Aided Location of Event Site No
ELT Type --
Aircraft Owner Name RONALD H. LEEPER
Aircraft Owner Street Address 7407 DRYDEN PL.
Aircraft Owner City CLINTON
Aircraft Owner State MD
Aircraft Owner Country
Aircraft Owner Zipcode 20735
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 O05
Departure City CHESTER
Departure State CA
Departure Country
Departure Time 1000
Departure Time Zone PDT
Destination Same as Local Flt crash at destination city
Destination Airport Code Q62
Destination City GRASS VALLEY
Destination State CA
Destination Country
Specific Phase of Flight Descent
Report sent to ICAO? --
Evacuation occurred --
Date of most recent change to record Jan 2 2001 10:36AM
User who most recently changed record dbo
Since inspection or accident --
Event Location Runway Number and Location 1
Runway Length 3000
Runway Width 50
Sight Seeing flight No
Air Medical Flight No
Medical Flight --