Aircraft Accident/Incident Report

Virginia City, Nevada 89440
Thursday, October 6, 1983 7:45 PDT

NTSB Narrative Summary Released at Completion of Accident

THE ACFT COLLIDED WITH RISING TERRAIN WHILE ON A PHOTOGRAPHIC FLT FOR NAT'L GEOGRAPHIC OF MOUNTAINOUS TERRAIN AROUND VIRGINIA CITY. A WITNESS SAID THE ACFT FLEW TOO LOW AND SLOW AND HIT THE UP-SLOPE TERRAIN WITH THE LEFT LANDING GEAR WHILE CIRCLING. THE ACFT NOSED OVER AND ENDED UP INVERTED. THE PILOT STATED ON THE FORM 6120.1 THAT SHE EXPERIENCED A POWER INTERRUPTION. HOWEVER, THE PILOT TOLD HER EMPLOYER THAT SHE WAS LOW AND SLOW ON THIS FLT AND THE EMPLOYER RELAYED THE INFORMATION TO THE INVESTIGATOR.

NTSB Probable Cause Narrative

Not Yet Reported

Event Information

Type of Event Accident
Event Date 10/6/1983
Event Day of the Week Thursday
Time of Event 745
Event Time Zone Pacific Daylight Time
Event City VIRGINIA CITY
Event State NEVADA
Event Country --
Zipcode of the event site 89440
Event Date Year 1983
Event Date Month 10
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 Unknown
Distance from airport in statute miles 0
Degrees magnetic from airport 0
Airport Elevation --
Weather Briefing Completeness Not pertinent
Investigator's weather source Weather Observation Facility
Time of the weather observation 730
Direction of event from weather observation facility (degrees) 120
Weather Observation Facility ID RNO
Elevation of weather observation facility 4412
Distance of event from weather observation facility (units?) 13
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) 4
Air Temperature at event time (in degrees celsius) 7
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) 30
Density Altitude (feet) --
Intensity of Precipitation Unknown
METAR weather report --
Event Highest Injury Minor
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 2
Injury Total Serious --
Injury Total All 1
Investigating Agency NTSB
NTSB Docket Number (internal use) 1072
NTSB Notification Source --
NTSB Notification Date --
NTSB Notification Time 0
Fiche Number and/or location -used to find docket information 21380
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 N65966
NTSB Number LAX84LA004
Missing Aircraft Indicator N
Federal Aviation Reg. Part Part 135: Air Taxi & Commuter
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 172P
Aircraft Series Identifier 172P
Aircraft Serial Number 75935
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 Mar 29 1983 12:00AM
Airframe hours since last inspection 19
Airframe Hours 120
ELT Installed Yes
ELT Activated No
ELT Aided Location of Event Site Unknown
ELT Type --
Aircraft Owner Name HALE BENNETT
Aircraft Owner Street Address 8 LANE CIRCLE
Aircraft Owner City CARSON CITY
Aircraft Owner State NV
Aircraft Owner Country
Aircraft Owner Zipcode 89701
Operator is an individual? --
Operator Name CARSON TAHOE AVIATION
Operator Same as Owner? No
Operator Is Doing Business As --
Operator Address Same as Owner? No
Operator Street Address 2600 E. GRAVES LANE
Operator City CARSON CITY
Operator State NV
Operator Country
Operator Zip code 89701
Operator Code
Owner has at least one certificate Yes - certificate holder
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 Non-scheduled
Indicates Domestic or International Flight Unknown
Operator carrying Pax/Cargo/Mail Passenger Only
Type of Flying (Per_Bus / Primary) Unknown
Second Pilot on Board No
Departure Point Same as Event No
Departure Airport Code 004
Departure City CARSON CITY
Departure State NV
Departure Country
Departure Time 650
Departure Time Zone PDT
Destination Same as Local Flt crash at destination city
Destination Airport Code
Destination City
Destination State
Destination Country
Specific Phase of Flight Maneuvering
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 --