Cessna A-37A accident near Yantley, Alabama, September 25, 1986
On September 25, 1986 at about 11:10 pm local time, a Cessna A-37A, registered N3757Z, was destroyed in an accident near Yantley, Alabama. It was a ferry flight under general aviation rules (Part 91). 1 person was killed. The weather was visual conditions (good weather).
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The NTSB's probable cause their words, unchanged
The NTSB has not yet published a probable cause for this accident. Investigations usually take one to two years; this page updates when the final report is released.
Source: NTSB aviation accident database, copy made October 4, 2026. Docket and reports at the NTSB.
What the record shows
- Date
- September 25, 1986 · about 11:10 pm local time
- Place
- Yantley, Alabama · map
- Type
- Accident
- Injuries
- 1 person was killed.
- Weather
- visual conditions (good weather)
- Aircraft
- Cessna A-37A · all A-37As on the register
- Registration
- N3757Z · no longer on the register · serial 67-14537
- Damage
- Destroyed
- Flight
- Ferry flight · general aviation rules (Part 91)
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
THE PLT HAD JUST PURCHASED THE ACFT WHICH HAD AN EXPERIMENTAL AIRWORTHINESS CERTIFICATE. DURING A PREFLT WX BRIEFING, HE WAS ADVISED OF TOWERING CUMULUS CLOUDS ALONG HIS ROUTE. AFTER TAKEOFF, HE INITIATED A CLIMB TO FL 240 & LEVELED OFF APRX 10 MIN LATER. AFTER ANOTHER 7 MIN, THE PLT TRANSMITTED 'N3757Z, I'M IN TROUBLE!' SHORTLY THEREAFTER, RADIO & RADAR CONTACT WITH THE ACFT WERE LOST. A MILITARY ACFT WAS DIVERTED TO THE AREA & THE CRASH SITE WAS LOCATED. AN EXAM OF THE WRECKAGE REVEALED THE ACFT HAD IMPACTED IN A STEEP NOSE DOWN, WINGS LEVEL ATTITUDE. NO PREIMPACT PART FAILURE OR MALFUNCTION WAS FND. FLT CREWS OF OTHER ACFT RPRTD THERE WAS HEAVY WX ACTIVITY IN THE VICINITY OF THE ACDNT.
The complete narrative as the NTSB published it. The NTSB's docket holds the report as a PDF and any photographs, statements and other documents from the investigation.
The factual record from the NTSB's investigation tables, in plain English
Pilot
- Certificate: commercial pilot
- Ratings: multi-engine land; single-engine land; instrument: airplane
- Flight time: 2,400 hours in all
- Medical certificate: Class 2 (valid medical--w/ waivers/lim.)
- Seat: left
The aircraft
- Airframe total time: 1,400 hours
- Last inspection: inspection type not recorded
- Maximum gross weight: 14,000 lb
- Seats: 2
- Landing gear: retractable
- Engine: Ge J-85-GE-5A (turbojet); 0 hours total
- Fire on the ground
- Operator: Thunderbird Aviation INC.
The flight
- Departed from: TOI Troy AL at 10:36 pm
- Destination: ADS Addison TX
- Flight plan: IFR
- Runway 0
Weather at the time
- Light: daylight
- Wind: from 140° at 5 knots
- Visibility: 7 statute miles
- Sky: broken clouds at 25,000 ft; scat at 3,500 ft
- Temperature: 90°F (32°C), dew point 75°F (24°C)
- Altimeter: 30.00 inHg
- Observation at 11:55 pm, 28 miles away
Injuries
| Fatal | Serious | Minor | None | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Crew | 1 |
Documents from the investigation the NTSB's docket: the evidence folder behind the report
The docket, the folder of records gathered during an investigation (maintenance records, photographs, witness statements, examinations), has not been read from the NTSB for this case yet; the list appears here once it has. Open the docket at the NTSB.
About this page
Everything above comes from the NTSB's public accident database: the narrative, probable cause and findings are the NTSB's own words, and the coded tables behind its report (pilot, aircraft, flight, weather, injuries, sequence of events) are written out in plain English. Pilots' ages, home towns and medical details are left out on purpose. The documents and photographs are the NTSB's docket, the folder of records gathered during the investigation, shown as the NTSB released them (the NTSB redacts some personal details first) and listed under the NTSB's own titles. This site's own text never names pilots, passengers or anyone else involved. A preliminary report describes what is known soon after the event and can change; the final report, with the probable cause, usually follows one to two years later and this page is refreshed when it does. Case number ATL86FA265.