Miller Ranch Airport
Aircraft Accident/Incident Report

Island Mountain, California 95478
Friday, August 2, 1985 11:15 PDT

NTSB Narrative Summary Released at Completion of Accident

UPON ARRIVING OVER THE UNCHARTED, 2000-FOOT-LONG DIRT AIRSTRIP, THE PLT PLACED THE ACFT INTO LANDING CONFIGURATION & ATTEMPTED TO LAND. THE ACFT TOUCHED DOWN HARD, BOUNCED 3 TIMES, 'FLOATED,' OVERRAN THE RUNWAY'S END, WENT INTO A DITCH & NOSED OVER. THE PLT STATED THAT THE PREVIOUS YEAR HE HAD LANDED AT THE AIRSTRIP & HAD NOT EXPERIENCED DIFFICULTY.

NTSB Probable Cause Narrative

Not Yet Reported

Event Information

Type of Event Accident
Event Date 8/2/1985
Event Day of the Week Friday
Time of Event 1115
Event Time Zone Pacific Daylight Time
Event City ISLAND MOUNTAIN
Event State CALIFORNIA
Event Country --
Zipcode of the event site 95478
Event Date Year 1985
Event Date Month 8
MidAir Collision Indicator No
On Ground Collision occurred ? No
Event Location Latitude
Event Location Longitude
Event Location Airport MILLER RANCH
Event Location Nearest Airport ID
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 3500
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) 25
Air Temperature at event time (in degrees celsius) 21
Dew Point at event time (in degress fahrenheit) --
Wind Direction (degrees magnetic) 192
Variable Wind Indicator Unknown
Wind Speed (knots) 0
Wind Velocity Indicator Light and Variable
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 2
Injury Total Serious --
Injury Total All --
Investigating Agency NTSB
NTSB Docket Number (internal use) 2587
NTSB Notification Source --
NTSB Notification Date Aug 2 1985 12:00AM
NTSB Notification Time 1556
Fiche Number and/or location -used to find docket information 30109
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 N64033
NTSB Number LAX85LA337
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 CESSNA
Aircraft Model 172 M
Aircraft Series Identifier 172 M
Aircraft Serial Number 17264978
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 Annual
Date of Last Inspection Jul 29 1985 12:00AM
Airframe hours since last inspection 10
Airframe Hours 5647
ELT Installed Yes
ELT Activated Yes
ELT Aided Location of Event Site No
ELT Type --
Aircraft Owner Name BRUCE SWARTZ
Aircraft Owner Street Address 1210 FREMONT AVE.
Aircraft Owner City LOS ALTOS
Aircraft Owner State CA
Aircraft Owner Country
Aircraft Owner Zipcode 94022
Operator is an individual? --
Operator Name WEST VALLEY FLYING CLUB
Operator Same as Owner? No
Operator Is Doing Business As --
Operator Address Same as Owner? No
Operator Street Address 1901 EMBARCADERO RD. SUITE 100
Operator City PALO ALTO
Operator State CA
Operator Country
Operator Zip code 94303
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 PAO
Departure City PALO ALTO
Departure State CA
Departure Country
Departure Time 930
Departure Time Zone PDT
Destination Same as Local Flt --
Destination Airport Code
Destination City
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 24
Runway Length 2000
Runway Width 70
Sight Seeing flight No
Air Medical Flight No
Medical Flight --