Aircraft Accident/Incident Report

Tulelake, California 96134
Thursday, September 29, 1983 16:30 PDT

NTSB Narrative Summary Released at Completion of Accident

THE PLT REPORTED THAT HE MADE A LOW PASS OVER THE MEDICINE LAKE AREA, THEN AFTER CIRCLING FOR A FEW MINUTES, HE CLIMBED BACK TO 7500 FT, ESTABLISHED 2000 RPM & 70 KTS, & CONTINUED THE FLT. APPX 5 MIN LATER, HE NOTICED THAT THE TREES APPEARED TO BE GETTING CLOSER. HE CHECKED HIS VERTICAL VELOCITY INDICATOR & NOTED A 200 FT/MIN DESCENT. HE THEN APPLIED FULL THROTTLE, BUT DID NOT NOTICE THE RPM INCREASE & CONTINUED TO LOSE ALTITUDE. SUBSEQUENTLY, THE ACFT COLLIDED WITH A TREE & CRASHED AT AN ELEVATION OF ABOUT 6000 FT. DURING THE INVESTIGATION, THE ENG WAS EXAMINED & RUN ON A PORTABLE TEST STAND & IT OPERATED NORMALLY. THE DENSITY ALTITUDE OF THE CRASH SITE WAS ESTIMATED TO BE 8300 FT. REPORTEDLY, THE TEMP & DEW POINT IN THE AREA WERE 63 & 32 DEG, RESPECTIVELY. ACCORDING TO ICING PROBABILITY CHARTS, VISIBLE CARB ICING WAS POSSIBLE AT RATED POWER. ALSO, UPDRAFTS & DOWNDRAFTS WERE COMMON IN THE AREA & WERE REPORTED BY OTHER PLTS.

NTSB Probable Cause Narrative

Not Yet Reported

Event Information

Type of Event Accident
Event Date 9/29/1983
Event Day of the Week Thursday
Time of Event 1630
Event Time Zone Pacific Daylight Time
Event City TULELAKE
Event State CALIFORNIA
Event Country --
Zipcode of the event site 96134
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
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 76
Degrees magnetic from airport 10
Airport Elevation 580
Weather Briefing Completeness Unknown
Investigator's weather source Weather Observation Facility
Time of the weather observation 1645 Pacific Daylight Time
Direction of event from weather observation facility (degrees) 0
Weather Observation Facility ID LMT
Elevation of weather observation facility 0
Distance of event from weather observation facility (units?) 0
Time Zone of the weather observation PDT
Lighting Conditions Day
Lowest Ceiling Height 0
Lowest Non-Ceiling Height 5000
Sky/Lowest/Cloud Conditions Scattered
Sky Condition for Lowest Ceiling None
Visibility Runway Visual Range (Feet) 0
Visibility Runway Visual Value (Statute Miles) 0
Visibility (Statute Miles) 40
Air Temperature at event time (in degrees celsius) 17
Dew Point at event time (in degress fahrenheit) 0
Wind Direction (degrees magnetic) 340
Variable Wind Indicator Unknown
Wind Speed (knots) 9
Wind Velocity Indicator Unknown
Wind Gust Indicator Not Gusting
Wind Gust (knots) 0
Altimeter Setting at event time (in. Hg) 29
Density Altitude (feet) 8300
Intensity of Precipitation Unknown
METAR weather report --
Event Highest Injury Serious
On Ground, Fatal Injuries 0
On Ground, Minor Injuries 0
On Ground, Serious Injuries 0
Injury Total Fatal --
Injury Total Minor 1
Injury Total None --
Injury Total Serious 3
Injury Total All 4
Investigating Agency NTSB
NTSB Docket Number (internal use) 2785
NTSB Notification Source --
NTSB Notification Date --
NTSB Notification Time 0
Fiche Number and/or location -used to find docket information 23080
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 N6089F
NTSB Number LAX83LA463
Missing Aircraft Indicator N
Federal Aviation Reg. Part Part 91: General Aviation
Type of Flight Plan filed None
Flight plan Was Activated? --
Damage Substantial
Aircraft Fire None
Aircraft Explosion None
Aircraft Manufacturer's Full Name CESSNA
Aircraft Model 172N
Aircraft Series Identifier 172N
Aircraft Serial Number 17273145
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 Sep 17 1983 12:00AM
Airframe hours since last inspection 5
Airframe Hours 526
ELT Installed Yes
ELT Activated Yes
ELT Aided Location of Event Site Unknown
ELT Type --
Aircraft Owner Name KENT BLANKENBURG
Aircraft Owner Street Address 214 WHITELEY STREET
Aircraft Owner City ARROYA GRANDE
Aircraft Owner State CA
Aircraft Owner Country
Aircraft Owner Zipcode 93420
Operator is an individual? --
Operator Name ENTERPRISE FLYING CLUB
Operator Same as Owner? No
Operator Is Doing Business As --
Operator Address Same as Owner? No
Operator Street Address P.O. BOX 3412
Operator City REDDING
Operator State CA
Operator Country
Operator Zip code 96041
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 Q93
Departure City ENTERPRISE
Departure State CA
Departure Country
Departure Time 0
Departure Time Zone
Destination Same as Local Flt dest & departure same, accident can occur anywhere
Destination Airport Code
Destination City
Destination State
Destination Country
Specific Phase of Flight Descent
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 0
Runway Length --
Runway Width --
Sight Seeing flight No
Air Medical Flight No
Medical Flight --