Saline Valley Airport
Aircraft Accident/Incident Report

Lone Pine, California 93545
Monday, September 19, 1983 7:30 PDT

NTSB Narrative Summary Released at Completion of Accident

THE ACFT COLLIDED WITH A SAND BANK DURING TAKEOFF ROLL, A FUEL LEAK DEVELOPED AND THE ACFT WAS CONSUMED BY FIRE. THE PILOT WAS ATTEMPTING A TAKEOFF ON A DRY LAKE BED WHEN THE ACFT HIT A FEW SAND BUMPS. THE NOSE WENT UP IN THE AIR ANDTHE ACFT CAME BACK DOWN HARD ON THE LEFT MAIN GEAR. THE LEFT WING WAS DAMAGED, FUEL LEAKED AND A FLASH FIRE STARTED. THEOCCUPANTS AND A DOG GOT OUT UNINJURED BEFORE THE ACFT WAS BURNED. THE PILOT AND HIS FRIENDS HAD TRIED TO SMOOTH THE LAKE BED BEFORE THE FLT BY FILLING RUTS AND MEASURING OFF THE SMOOTHEST PART FOR THE TAKEOFF. THE AREA ALLOCATED WAS 900FT LONG. THE PILOT HAD DETERMINED THE TAKEOFF DISTANCE TO BE 830 FT FOR THE ACFT AT GROSS WEIGHT. HE STATED THAT HE THOUGHT THE ACFT WAS AIRBORNE WHEN THE LEFT WHEEL HIT THE RISE IN THE TERRAIN JUST BEYOND THE DEPARTURE END OF THE STRIP.

NTSB Probable Cause Narrative

Not Yet Reported

Event Information

Type of Event Accident
Event Date 9/19/1983
Event Day of the Week Monday
Time of Event 730
Event Time Zone Pacific Daylight Time
Event City LONE PINE
Event State CALIFORNIA
Event Country --
Zipcode of the event site 93545
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 SALINE VALLEY
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 1500
Weather Briefing Completeness Unknown
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 Dawn
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) 15
Air Temperature at event time (in degrees celsius) 20
Dew Point at event time (in degress fahrenheit) --
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 2
Injury Total Serious --
Injury Total All --
Investigating Agency NTSB
NTSB Docket Number (internal use) 1074
NTSB Notification Source --
NTSB Notification Date --
NTSB Notification Time 0
Fiche Number and/or location -used to find docket information 21382
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 N76744
NTSB Number LAX83LA449
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 120
Aircraft Series Identifier 120
Aircraft Serial Number 11176
Certified Max Gross Weight 1500
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 2
Number of Engines 1
Fixed gear or retractable gear Fixed
Aircraft, Type of Last Inspection Annual
Date of Last Inspection May 31 1983 12:00AM
Airframe hours since last inspection --
Airframe Hours 3379
ELT Installed Yes
ELT Activated No
ELT Aided Location of Event Site Unknown
ELT Type --
Aircraft Owner Name JAMES HARLEY REPLOGE
Aircraft Owner Street Address 110 LILINETHAL
Aircraft Owner City NAPA
Aircraft Owner State CA
Aircraft Owner Country
Aircraft Owner Zipcode 94558
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
Departure City SALINE VALLEY
Departure State CA
Departure Country
Departure Time 730
Departure Time Zone PDT
Destination Same as Local Flt --
Destination Airport Code BIH
Destination City BISHOP
Destination State CA
Destination Country
Specific Phase of Flight Takeoff
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 27
Runway Length 1000
Runway Width --
Sight Seeing flight No
Air Medical Flight No
Medical Flight --