Lake Tahoe Airport
Aircraft Accident/Incident Report

Lake Genevieve, California 95702
Wednesday, September 21, 1983 14:00 PDT

NTSB Narrative Summary Released at Completion of Accident

DURING CRUISE FLIGHT THE ACFT ENCOUNTERED A DOWNDRAFT WHILE FLYING IN MOUNTAINOUS TERRAIN. THE PILOT LOST CONTROL OF THE ACFT & IT CRASHED. THE PILOT WAS STUDENT PILOT RATED ONLY & HAD NOT BEEN ENDORSED FOR THIS FLIGHT. HE ALSO WAS CARRYING A PASSENGER WHO SUSTAINED FATAL INJURIES DURING THE CRASH.

NTSB Probable Cause Narrative

Not Yet Reported

Event Information

Type of Event Accident
Event Date 9/21/1983
Event Day of the Week Wednesday
Time of Event 1400
Event Time Zone Pacific Daylight Time
Event City LAKE GENEVIEVE
Event State CALIFORNIA
Event Country --
Zipcode of the event site 95702
Event Date Year 1983
Event Date Month 9
MidAir Collision Indicator No
On Ground Collision occurred ? No
Event Location Latitude
Event Location Longitude
Event Location Airport LAKE TAHOE
Event Location Nearest Airport ID TVL
Indicates whether the acc/inc occurred off or on an airport Off Airport/Airstrip
Distance from airport in statute miles 12
Degrees magnetic from airport 300
Airport Elevation 6264
Weather Briefing Completeness Full
Investigator's weather source Weather Observation Facility
Time of the weather observation 1314 Pacific Daylight Time
Direction of event from weather observation facility (degrees) 225
Weather Observation Facility ID SAC1
Elevation of weather observation facility 21
Distance of event from weather observation facility (units?) 70
Time Zone of the weather observation PDT
Lighting Conditions Day
Lowest Ceiling Height 0
Lowest Non-Ceiling Height 18000
Sky/Lowest/Cloud Conditions Scattered
Sky Condition for Lowest Ceiling Unknown
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) 19
Dew Point at event time (in degress fahrenheit) 6
Wind Direction (degrees magnetic) 340
Variable Wind Indicator Unknown
Wind Speed (knots) 8
Wind Velocity Indicator Unknown
Wind Gust Indicator Unknown
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 Fatal
On Ground, Fatal Injuries 0
On Ground, Minor Injuries 0
On Ground, Serious Injuries 0
Injury Total Fatal 1
Injury Total Minor --
Injury Total None --
Injury Total Serious 1
Injury Total All 2
Investigating Agency NTSB
NTSB Docket Number (internal use) 2932
NTSB Notification Source --
NTSB Notification Date --
NTSB Notification Time 0
Fiche Number and/or location -used to find docket information 23250
Date of most recent change to record Jan 2 2001 9:16AM
User who most recently changed record dbo
Basic weather conditions Visual Meteorological Cond
FAA District Office --

Aircraft Involved

Aircraft #1

Aircraft Registration Number N4297T
NTSB Number LAX83FA455
Missing Aircraft Indicator N
Federal Aviation Reg. Part Part 91: General Aviation
Type of Flight Plan filed VFR
Flight plan Was Activated? --
Damage Destroyed
Aircraft Fire Ground
Aircraft Explosion None
Aircraft Manufacturer's Full Name PIPER
Aircraft Model PA 28-140
Aircraft Series Identifier PA 28-140
Aircraft Serial Number 28-7225126
Certified Max Gross Weight 2150
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 Feb 7 1983 12:00AM
Airframe hours since last inspection 49
Airframe Hours 2854
ELT Installed Yes
ELT Activated No
ELT Aided Location of Event Site Unknown
ELT Type --
Aircraft Owner Name ALAN P. RADFORD
Aircraft Owner Street Address 1820 HOLIDAY ST
Aircraft Owner City SANTA ROSA
Aircraft Owner State CA
Aircraft Owner Country
Aircraft Owner Zipcode 95401
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 TVL
Departure City LAKE TAHOE
Departure State CA
Departure Country
Departure Time 1330
Departure Time Zone PDT
Destination Same as Local Flt --
Destination Airport Code STS
Destination City SANTA ROSA
Destination State CA
Destination Country
Specific Phase of Flight Cruise
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 8544
Runway Width 150
Sight Seeing flight No
Air Medical Flight No
Medical Flight --