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Aviation safety reports, made easier to study

NTSB Reports is an independent research and search tool for public aviation accident and incident records. It brings NTSB aviation reports, structured fields, docket files, extracted figures, photos, videos, and update history into one searchable interface.

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July 31, 1983 · Cessna 152 · N6599L

Pleasanton, CA

Overview

Report Status
Preliminary report
Event Type
Accident
Date
July 31, 1983
Injury Outcomes
1 injury (1 fatality)
Location
Pleasanton, CA
Aircraft
Cessna 152
Tail Number
N6599L
Operator
Fred Nediffer
Injuries
Fatal
Aircraft Damage
Destroyed
NTSB Number
LAX83FA371

The aircraft crashed in a steep nose down attitude in hilly terrain. Debris was scattered for about 100 ft but the aircraft did not travel after initial impact. The fuel tanks were ruptured and no fuel remained. The sheriff's deputies said no odor of fuel was noted when they arrived at the scene. The aircraft wreckage was missing for about 2 days. The pilot's wife last saw him on 7/30 at 2300 hours PDT. He reportedly left home that night or early the next morning. When he did not return on 7/31 the wife reported him missing. His car was found at Hayward Air Terminal, CA. There are no known witnesses to the accident. The aircraft wreckage was found by a rancher who was checking cattle on his property. No discrepancies in the airframe or engine were uncovered in the investigation. The wife said her husband had been depressed due to business. She said he had threatened suicide in the past but she did not believe he would take any action in that regard. An autopsy and toxicological tests revealed nothing out of the ordinary.

Full Narrative

THE ACFT CRASHED IN A STEEP NOSE DOWN ATTITUDE IN HILLY TERRAIN. DEBRIS WAS SCATTERED FOR ABOUT 100 FT BUT THE ACFT DID NOT TRAVEL AFTER INITIAL IMPACT. THE FUEL TANKS WERE RUPTURED AND NO FUEL REMAINED. THE SHERIFF'S DEPUTIES SAID NO ODOR OF FUEL WAS NOTED WHEN THEY ARRIVED AT THE SCENE. THE ACFT WRECKAGE WAS MISSING FOR ABOUT 2 DAYS. THE PLTS WIFE LAST SAWHIM ON 7/30 AT 2300 HOURS PDT. HE REPORTEDLY LEFT HOME THAT NIGHT OR EARLY THE NEXT MORNING. WHEN HE DID NOT RETURN ON 7/31 THE WIFE REPORTED HIM MISSING. HIS CAR WAS FOUND AT HAYWARD AIR TERMINAL, CA. THERE ARE NO KNOWN WITNESSES TO THE ACCIDENT. THE ACFT WRECKAGE WAS FOUND BY A RANCHER WHO WAS CHECKING CATTLE ON HIS PROPERTY. NO DISCREPANCIES IN THE AIRFRAME OR ENGINE WERE UNCOVERED IN THE INVESTIGATION. THE WIFE SAID HER HUSBAND HAD BEEN DEPRESSED DUE TO BUSINESS. SHE SAID HE HAD THREATENED SUICIDE IN THE PAST BUT SHE DID NOT BELIEVE HE WOULD TAKE ANY ACTION IN THAT REGARD. AN AUTOPSY AND TOXICOLOGICAL TESTS REVEALED NOTHING OUT OF THE ORDINARY.

Flight

Event TypeAccident
Event Time00:00 PDT
Nearest Airport0nm N
Runway0
Flight Plan FiledNone
Aircraft FireNo
Aircraft ExplosionNo

Aircraft

AircraftCessna 152
Tail NumberN6599L
Aircraft CategoryAir
DamageDestroyed
OperatorFred Nediffer
Operating RulePart 91
Engines1
Engine TypeReciprocating
Engine DetailsLycoming · O-235-L2C · Reciprocating · 110
Seats2

People & Injuries

Injury Summary1 injury (1 fatality)
Fatal1
Serious0
Minor0
Uninjured0
Total1
Crew 1Age 43 · Third Class

Conditions

ConditionsUnknown
LightNr
Wind270° @ 5 kt
Visibility10 sm
CeilingOvercast 900 ft
Temperature / Dew Point63 F / 61 F
Altimeter30.00 inHg
Observation Time14:45
Weather SourceWFAC

Appendix: Source Data