- Date
- June 18, 1989, 16:45 local (23:45 UTC)
- Place
- Grass Valley, CA
- Injuries
- 4 uninjured
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Phase of flight
- Initial climb
- Aircraft
- N3618SCessna 172E
- Weather
- Visual (VMC) · Day
- Status
- Completed · report September 30, 1991
- Report
- Approved by Office Director
- FAA report
- 19890618015989A
- Case key
- 26432
From the NTSB’s public API. By law, NTSB reports can’t be used as evidence in lawsuits over the accident.
On this page
Probable cause
Failure to perform maintenance inspections prescribed by the magneto, engine and aircraft manufacturers. The high density altitude and terrain conditions were contributing factors.
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
The pilot reported the aircraft climbed 50 to 150 feet above the runway when the engine began running rough and loosing power. He was unable to maintain altitude and elected to land on a road. The aircraft's wing struck a bridge during the landing roll and the aircraft overturned. The engine log reflected that the right magneto points and distributor block were replaced and both magnetos were retimed on July 14, 1981 at 4329 total airframe hours. There was no evidence that inspections were performed during the eight years and 1,233 operational hours preceding the accident. During the post accident engine test the right magneto failed after operating for 10 minutes. An examination of the right magneto coil disclosed evidence of arcing.
Aircraft
- Registration
- N3618S
- Reported as
- Cessna 172E
- Category
- Airplane
- Serial number
- 17250818
- Airframe hours
- 5,562
- Engine
- Continental O-300, 145 horsepower, reciprocating
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Personal · Part 91
- Registered owner
- Radio Systems Technology, Inc.
- Airworthiness certificate
- Standard, Normal
- Last inspection
- Annual · December 13, 1988 · 53 hours before
- Airport
- 017 · Nevada Co. Airpark, runway 25, 3,920 × 50 ft, asphalt
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
- 45
- Certificate
- Commercial
- Airplane ratings
- Single-engine land
- Instrument ratings
- Airplane
- Medical
- Class 2, Valid Medical--w/ waivers/lim
- Seat
- Left
- Flight hours
- 2,795 total · 1,740 in this make and model · 2,685 as pilot in command · 27 in the last 90 days · 23 in the last 30 days · 3 in the last 24 hours
Weather
- Conditions
- Visual (VMC) · Day
- Wind
- 150° at 10 knots
- Visibility
- 30 statute miles
- Lowest ceiling
- None
- Temperature
- 97 °F, dew point 48 °F
- Altimeter
- 29.00 inHg
- Observed at
- MYV, 25 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.