# NTSB OAK74AP017: Cessna 172G, N2AL, Bass Lake, CA, October 22, 1973

- Type: NTSB accident investigation
- Classification: Accident · Fatal · Closed
- Date: October 22, 1973
- Place: Bass Lake, CA · BASS LAKE, CA
- Location: 37.3254° N, 119.5644° W: Placed by OpenAirDocs: center of Bass Lake, CA, within about 6 miles (OpenAirDocs)
- Nearby events: https://openairdocs.org/map.md?lat=37.3254&lon=-119.5644&mi=10
- Phase of flight: [Enroute](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-phases/400) (OpenAirDocs' grouping)
- Highest injury: Fatal
- Injuries: 1 fatal, 1 serious
- Status: Completed, report November 26, 1973
- Report: Brief approved by the director
- NTSB case key (mKey): 188462
- NTSB case page: https://web.ntsb.gov/investigations/?ntsbnumber=OAK74AP017
- Page: https://openairdocs.org/ntsb/OAK74AP017

## NTSB brief

```
----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
 FILE    DATE          LOCATION          AIRCRAFT DATA       INJURIES       FLIGHT                        PILOT DATA
                                                               F  S M/N     PURPOSE
----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
3-3011  73/10/22   BASS LAKE,CALIF     CESSNA 172G         CR-  1  1  0  NONCOMMERCIAL             PRIVATE, AGE 29, 578
        TIME - 1658                    N2AL                PX-  0  0  0  BUSINESS                  TOTAL HOURS, 27 IN TYPE,
                                       DAMAGE-DESTROYED    OT-  0  0  0                            NOT INSTRUMENT RATED.
        DEPARTURE POINT             INTENDED DESTINATION         LAST ENROUTE STOP
          ALBUQUERQUE,N MEX           SAN JOSE,CALIF               HENDERSON,NEV
        TYPE OF ACCIDENT                                         PHASE OF OPERATION
           COLLIDED WITH: TREES                                     IN FLIGHT: NORMAL CRUISE
        PROBABLE CAUSE(S)
           PILOT IN COMMAND - CONTINUED VFR FLIGHT INTO ADVERSE WEATHER CONDITIONS
           PILOT IN COMMAND - FAILED TO SEE AND AVOID OBJECTS OR OBSTRUCTIONS
        FACTOR(S)
           WEATHER - LOW CEILING
           WEATHER - SNOW
           WEATHER - ICING CONDITIONS-INCLUDES SLEET,FREEZING RAIN,ETC.
           WEATHER - TURBULENCE, ASSOCIATED W/CLOUDS AND/OR THUNDERSTORMS
           WEATHER - DOWNDRAFT,UPDRAFTS
           TERRAIN - HIGH OBSTRUCTIONS
        WEATHER BRIEFING - BRIEFING RECEIVED-METHOD UNKNOWN
        WEATHER FORECAST - WEATHER SLIGHTLY WORSE THAN FORECAST
        SKY CONDITION                                            CEILING AT ACCIDENT SITE
          UNKNOWN/NOT REPORTED                                      100
        VISIBILITY AT ACCIDENT SITE                              PRECIPITATION AT ACCIDENT SITE
          1/4 MILE OR LESS                                         SNOW
        OBSTRUCTIONS TO VISION AT ACCIDENT SITE                  WIND DIRECTION-DEGREES
          BLOWING SNOW                                             225
        WIND VELOCITY-KNOTS                                      TYPE OF WEATHER CONDITIONS
           45                                                      IFR
        TYPE OF FLIGHT PLAN
          NONE
        REMARKS- WIND GUSTING 60-70K.
```

## Aircraft

- Registration: [N2AL](https://openairdocs.org/deregistered/N2AL-1973-12-05), registration cancelled 1973-12-05, S/N 172-54828 (OpenAirDocs)
- Reported make and model: CESSNA 172G
- Registry model: [Cessna 172G](https://openairdocs.org/model/cessna-172g) (registry code 2072420) (OpenAirDocs)
- Category: Airplane
- Engines: reciprocating
- Damage: Destroyed

## FAA reports on this event (1)

The FAA's own accident and incident reports, matched to the aircraft by N-number and date (OpenAirDocs).

- [Accident 19731022033799A](https://openairdocs.org/incident/19731022033799A), Oct 22, 1973: Cessna 172D, Bass Lake, CA, Destroyed. Wind gusting 60-70K.

From the NTSB's public API. Aircraft are matched to registry aircraft by N-number and event date, checked against the reported serial number, make and model; the registry's history has gaps, so older matches can be wrong. Compare the reported make and model.

---
OpenAirDocs.org is an independent research project of [Contrail Labs](https://contraillabs.com/). It is not affiliated with the FAA or the NTSB. Source documents are U.S. government works in the public domain.
