- Date
- December 8, 1985, 16:45 local (Dec 9, 1985, 00:45 UTC)
- Place
- So. Lake Tahoe, CA
- Injuries
- 3 fatal
- Damage
- Destroyed
- Phase of flight
- Enroute
- Aircraft
- N2854RPiper PA-28-201T
- Weather
- Visual (VMC) · Day
- Status
- Completed
- Report
- Approved by Office Director
- FAA report
- 19851208076759A
- Case key
- 24886
From the NTSB’s public API. By law, NTSB reports can’t be used as evidence in lawsuits over the accident.
On this page
Sequence of events
NTSB’s coding before 2008: each occurrence and phase of flight, and the causes and factors under it. The codes are defined in NTSB’s coding manual.
Analysis
Prior to departing on a VFR flt from south lake Tahoe, CA, to tracy, CA, the plt failed to obtain a wx briefing or file a flt plan. Wx at the arpt of departure was reported as scattered clouds at 1500 ft, broken ceiling conditions at an estimated 3000 ft, visibility 20 miles, temp 30 degrees f., dew point 16 degrees f., with light snow falling at the timeof takeoff. An ELT signal was received by a satellite and transport acft at aprx 1721 hrs and was reported to scott afb asr center. A cap acft was dispatched to the reported coordinates and the acft's wreckage was located at about 1100 hrs on the morning following the accident. Wx conditions near the accident site were forecast to be obscured with precipitation during the time of the accident.
Aircraft
- Registration
- N2854R
- Reported as
- Piper PA-28-201T
- Category
- Airplane
- Serial number
- 287921065
- Airframe hours
- 632
- Engine
- Continental TSIO-360-FB, 200 horsepower, reciprocating
- Damage
- Destroyed
- Flight
- Personal · Part 91
- Operator
- Freeman L. Northcott, doing business as And Linda C. Northcott
- Airworthiness certificate
- Standard, Normal
- Last inspection
- 100 hour · November 4, 1986 · 16 hours before
- Departed
- TVL · S. Lake Tahoe, CA
- Destination
- 1Q4 · Tracy, CA
Matched to the registry by N-number and the event date; the registry’s history has gaps, so older matches can be wrong. Compare the reported make and model.
Flight crew
As NTSB recorded them. NTSB leaves out names.
- Role
- Pilot
- Age
- 42
- Certificate
- Private
- Airplane ratings
- Single-engine land
- Medical
- Class 3, Valid Medical--no waivers/lim.
- Seat
- Left
- Toxicology
- Performed
- Flight hours
- 103 total · 63 in this make and model · 76 as pilot in command · 34 in the last 90 days · 15 in the last 30 days · 3 in the last 24 hours
Weather
- Conditions
- Visual (VMC) · Day
- Wind
- Calm
- Visibility
- 20 statute miles
- Lowest ceiling
- 3,000 ft broken
- Temperature
- 30 °F, dew point 16 °F
- Altimeter
- 30.00 inHg
- Observed at
- TVL, 10 nm away
FAA reports on this event · 1
The FAA’s own accident and incident reports, matched to the aircraft by N-number and date.