Cessna 337F accident near Cherry Point, North Carolina, July 4, 1986
On July 4, 1986, a Cessna 337F, registered N1770M, was substantially damaged in an accident near Cherry Point, North Carolina (Ch. Pr Marine Corps Airst airport). It was a personal flight under general aviation rules (Part 91). No one was hurt; 3 people were on board or involved. The weather was visual conditions (good weather).
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 5, 2026. Docket and reports at the NTSB.
What the record shows
- Date
- July 4, 1986
- Place
- Cherry Point, North Carolina · Ch. Pr Marine Corps Airst · map
- Type
- Accident
- Injuries
- No one was hurt; 3 people were on board or involved.
- Weather
- visual conditions (good weather)
- Aircraft
- Cessna 337F · all 337Fs on the register
- Registration
- N1770M · no longer on the register · serial 33701370
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Personal flight · general aviation rules (Part 91)
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
WHEN THE GEAR SELECTOR HANDLE WAS PLACED IN THE UP POSITION THE GEAR UNSAFE WARNING HORN SOUNDED. THE PLT REPORTED A STALL WARNING HORN TO ATC AND RETURNED TO THE AIRPORT AND LANDED. FINDING NOTHING WRONG WITH THE AIRCRAFT THE PLT. TOOK-OFF AGAIN. WHENTHE HORN AGAIN CAME ON HE AND ONE OF HIS PASSENGERS TOOK TURNS HOLDING THE TEST BOTTON IN TO KEEP THE HORN SILENT. FINALLY THEY PUT A PIECE OF PAPER UNDER THE BOTTON, THAT STOPPED THE HORN. THE LANDING GEAR WOULD NOT EXTEND NORMALLY WITH THE ALTERNATE/EMERGENCY SYSTEMS. A GEAR UP LANDING WAS MADE ON GRASS.
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: private
- Ratings: multi-engine land; single-engine land
- Flight time: 1,200 hours in all; 450 in this make and model
- Medical certificate: Class 3 (valid medical--no waivers/lim.)
- Seat: left
The aircraft
- Airframe total time: 2,269 hours
- Last inspection: inspection type not recorded, July 16, 1985
- Maximum gross weight: 4,500 lb
- Seats: 6
- Landing gear: retractable
- Engine: Continental IO-360-C (piston); 0 hours total
The flight
- Departed from: TVS Knoxville TN at 6:00 pm
- Destination: MRH Beaufort NC
- Flight plan: none
- Runway 0
Weather at the time
- Light: daylight
- Wind: from 040° at 3 knots
- Visibility: 6 statute miles
- Sky: clear
- Temperature: 82°F (28°C), dew point 63°F (17°C)
- Altimeter: 29.00 inHg
Injuries
| Fatal | Serious | Minor | None | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Crew | 1 | |||
| Passengers | 2 |
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.
Everything on this page comes from the NTSB's public records. The narrative, probable cause and findings are the NTSB's own words; the coded tables behind the report are written out in plain English, with pilots' ages, home towns and medical details left out. The documents and photographs are the NTSB's docket, shown as the NTSB released them. This site's own text never names anyone involved. A preliminary report can change; the final report usually follows one to two years later, and the page is refreshed when it does.