Sequoia Ranch Airport
Aircraft Accident/Incident Report

Springville, California 93265
Sunday, May 5, 1985 13:50 PDT

NTSB Narrative Summary Released at Completion of Accident

AFTER OVERFLYING THE UNCHARTED, PRIVATE AIRSTRIP & EVALUATING ITS SIZE, THE PIC ATTEMPTED TO LAND ON THE NARROW RWY. ONLY ABOUT 900 FT OF THE RWY WAS USABLE. AFTER TOUCHING DOWN, THE PLT REALIZED THE ACFT COULD NOT BE STOPPED ON THE REMAINING AVAILABLE STRIP, SO HE ATTEMPTED TO GO AROUND. THE ACFT BECAME AIRBORNE, BUT IT WOULD NOT OUTCLIMB RISING TERRAIN BEYOND A SMALL VALLEY AT THE END OF THE STRIP. SUBSEQUENTLY, THE ACFT COLLIDED WITH A TREE & CRASHED IN A MEADOW ABOUT 600 YARDS FROM THE LANDING AREA.

NTSB Probable Cause Narrative

Not Yet Reported

Event Information

Type of Event Accident
Event Date 5/5/1985
Event Day of the Week Sunday
Time of Event 1350
Event Time Zone Pacific Daylight Time
Event City SPRINGVILLE
Event State CALIFORNIA
Event Country --
Zipcode of the event site 93265
Event Date Year 1985
Event Date Month 5
MidAir Collision Indicator No
On Ground Collision occurred ? No
Event Location Latitude
Event Location Longitude
Event Location Airport SEQUOIA RANCH
Event Location Nearest Airport ID
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 1153
Weather Briefing Completeness Not pertinent
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 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) 30
Air Temperature at event time (in degrees celsius) 29
Dew Point at event time (in degress fahrenheit) -18
Wind Direction (degrees magnetic) 0
Variable Wind Indicator Unknown
Wind Speed (knots) 0
Wind Velocity Indicator Calm
Wind Gust Indicator Not Gusting
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 3
Injury Total Serious --
Injury Total All --
Investigating Agency NTSB
NTSB Docket Number (internal use) 1548
NTSB Notification Source --
NTSB Notification Date May 6 1985 12:00AM
NTSB Notification Time 1700
Fiche Number and/or location -used to find docket information 28923
Date of most recent change to record Jan 2 2001 9:15AM
User who most recently changed record dbo
Basic weather conditions Visual Meteorological Cond
FAA District Office --

Aircraft Involved

Aircraft #1

Aircraft Registration Number N5166W
NTSB Number LAX85LA242
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 PIPER
Aircraft Model PA-28-160
Aircraft Series Identifier PA-28-160
Aircraft Serial Number 28-197
Certified Max Gross Weight 2200
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 Jun 27 1984 12:00AM
Airframe hours since last inspection --
Airframe Hours 2556
ELT Installed Yes
ELT Activated No
ELT Aided Location of Event Site No
ELT Type --
Aircraft Owner Name DENNIS KIRWAN & DOUGLAS ARNEW
Aircraft Owner Street Address 5441 MELITA RD.
Aircraft Owner City SANTA ROSA
Aircraft Owner State CA
Aircraft Owner Country
Aircraft Owner Zipcode 94505
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) Business
Second Pilot on Board No
Departure Point Same as Event No
Departure Airport Code PTV
Departure City PORTERVILLE
Departure State CA
Departure Country
Departure Time 1330
Departure Time Zone PDT
Destination Same as Local Flt crash at destination city
Destination Airport Code
Destination City SPRINGVILLE
Destination State CA
Destination Country
Specific Phase of Flight Landing
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 36
Runway Length 900
Runway Width 8
Sight Seeing flight No
Air Medical Flight No
Medical Flight --