Cessna 172N accident near St. Cloud, Minnesota, February 14, 1986
On February 14, 1986 at about 8:07 pm local time, a Cessna 172N, registered N5466D, was substantially damaged in an accident near St. Cloud, Minnesota (St. Cloud Municipal airport). It was a personal flight under general aviation rules (Part 91). No one was hurt; 1 person was 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
- February 14, 1986 · about 8:07 pm local time
- Place
- St. Cloud, Minnesota · St. Cloud Municipal
- Type
- Accident
- Injuries
- No one was hurt; 1 person was on board or involved.
- Weather
- visual conditions (good weather)
- Aircraft
- Cessna 172N · all 172Ns on the register
- Registration
- N5466D · registry record · serial 17272577
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Personal flight · general aviation rules (Part 91)
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
THE PLT WAS DIVERTING INTO GALESBURG DUE TO BAD WEATHER AT HIS ORIGINAL DESTINATION. FOLLOWING AN ILS APPROACH AT GALESBURG HE SPOTTED THE RWY AT '200 FT PLUS' OFF TO HIS RIGHT. HE THEN 'SIDE-STEPPED' TO THE RIGHT BUT TOUCHED DOWN IN A CRABBED ANGLE. HE ATTEMPTED TO GO-AROUND BUT AS PWR WAS APPLIED, THE ACFT SETTLED TO THE RWY ONTO COLLAPSED LANDINGGEAR.
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: single-engine land
- Flight time: 48 hours in all; 2 in this make and model; 2 in the last 90 days
- Medical certificate: Class 3 (valid medical--w/ waivers/lim.)
- Seat: left
The aircraft
- Last inspection: inspection type not recorded
- Maximum gross weight: 2,150 lb
- Seats: 4
- Landing gear: fixed
- Engine: Lycoming O-320-H2AD (piston); 0 hours total
The flight
- Departed from: STP St. Paul MN at 7:30 pm
- Destination: STP St. Paul MN
- Flight plan: VFR
- Runway 31, 5,200 ft by 100 ft
Weather at the time
- Light: daylight
- Visibility: 15 statute miles
- Sky: clear
- Temperature: 7°F (-14°C), dew point 0°F (-18°C)
- Altimeter: 30.00 inHg
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.
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.