Alta Sierra Airport
Aircraft Accident/Incident Report

Grass Valley, California 95945
Saturday, July 16, 1983 11:54 PDT

NTSB Narrative Summary Released at Completion of Accident

THE PILOT HAD FLOWN TO THE ARPT 5 TIMES BEFORE AND WAS AWARE THAT ALL LANDINGS WERE TO THE NORTH AND TAKEOFFS TO THE SOUTH ON THE SINGLE RWY 01-19. THIS WAS FOR NOISE ABATEMENT AT THE NORTH END OF THE RWY AND BECAUSE OF THE RWY UPSLOPE TO THE NORTH. AT ABOUT 1150 AN ACFT BELIEVED TO BE THE ACCIDENT ACFT WAS SEEN BY THE DAUGHTER AND SON-IN-LAW OVER THEIR HOUSE SOUTH OF THE ARPT HEADING TOWARD THE ARPT AS IF TO LAND ON RWY 01. AT 1154 THE ACFT WAS SEEN NORTH OF THE ARPT FLYING LOW WHERE IT STRUCK A TREE, PULLED UP, STALLED AND ROLLED OVER ON ITS LEFT SIDE TO CRASH NOSE FIRST. THE FLAPS WERE FOUND RETRACTED IN THE WRECKAGE. THE OWNER'S MANUAL STATES THAT IN A GO AROUND CLIMB APPLY FULL POWER SMOOTHLY, REMOVE CARBURETOR HEAT AND REDUCE FLAPS PROMPTLY TO THE HALF POSITION. AT 75 MPH RETRACT FLAPS SLOWLY TO FULL UP. IF OBSTACLES ARE AHEAD THE WING FLAPS SHOULD BE LEFT AT HALF UNTIL OBSTACLES ARE CLEARED.

NTSB Probable Cause Narrative

Not Yet Reported

Event Information

Type of Event Accident
Event Date 7/16/1983
Event Day of the Week Saturday
Time of Event 1154
Event Time Zone Pacific Daylight Time
Event City GRASS VALLEY
Event State CALIFORNIA
Event Country --
Zipcode of the event site 95945
Event Date Year 1983
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 Off Airport/Airstrip
Distance from airport in statute miles 1
Degrees magnetic from airport 360
Airport Elevation 2310
Weather Briefing Completeness Not pertinent
Investigator's weather source Witness
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) 50
Air Temperature at event time (in degrees celsius) 27
Dew Point at event time (in degress fahrenheit) --
Wind Direction (degrees magnetic) 190
Variable Wind Indicator Unknown
Wind Speed (knots) 5
Wind Velocity Indicator Unknown
Wind Gust Indicator Not Gusting
Wind Gust (knots) 0
Altimeter Setting at event time (in. Hg) --
Density Altitude (feet) 4100
Intensity of Precipitation Unknown
METAR weather report --
Event Highest Injury Fatal
On Ground, Fatal Injuries 0
On Ground, Minor Injuries 0
On Ground, Serious Injuries 0
Injury Total Fatal 3
Injury Total Minor --
Injury Total None --
Injury Total Serious --
Injury Total All 3
Investigating Agency NTSB
NTSB Docket Number (internal use) 673
NTSB Notification Source --
NTSB Notification Date --
NTSB Notification Time 0
Fiche Number and/or location -used to find docket information 20935
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 N3407T
NTSB Number LAX83FA341
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 CESSNA
Aircraft Model 177
Aircraft Series Identifier 177
Aircraft Serial Number 17700707
Certified Max Gross Weight 2350
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 Unknown
Date of Last Inspection --
Airframe hours since last inspection --
Airframe Hours --
ELT Installed Yes
ELT Activated No
ELT Aided Location of Event Site Unknown
ELT Type --
Aircraft Owner Name STUTZMAN, CHARLE R.
Aircraft Owner Street Address 1925 OSAGE AVENUE
Aircraft Owner City HAYWARD
Aircraft Owner State CA
Aircraft Owner Country
Aircraft Owner Zipcode 94545
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 HAF
Departure City HALF MOON BAY
Departure State CA
Departure Country
Departure Time 0
Departure Time Zone
Destination Same as Local Flt crash at destination city
Destination Airport Code
Destination City
Destination State
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 1
Runway Length 3000
Runway Width 50
Sight Seeing flight No
Air Medical Flight No
Medical Flight --