Cessna 172P accident near Albuquerque, New Mexico, August 5, 1986
On August 5, 1986, a Cessna 172P, registered N55297, was substantially damaged in an accident near Albuquerque, New Mexico (Coronado airport). It was an instructional flight under general aviation rules (Part 91). No one was hurt; 2 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
- August 5, 1986
- Place
- Albuquerque, New Mexico · Coronado · map
- Type
- Accident
- Injuries
- No one was hurt; 2 people were on board or involved.
- Weather
- visual conditions (good weather)
- Aircraft
- Cessna 172P · all 172Ps on the register
- Registration
- N55297 · registry record · serial 17275153
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Instructional flight · general aviation rules (Part 91)
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
ACCORDING TO THE INSTRUCTOR (CFI), THE STUDENT WAS MAKING A PRACTICE LANDING WHEN A SUDDEN WINDSHIFT OCCURRED. HE RPRTD THAT WHEN THEY WERE ON THE DOWNWIND FOR THEIR 5TH LANDING, THE WIND WAS FROM THE WSW, BUT JUST BEFORE THE LANDING, IT CHANGED TO A QUARTERING TAILWIND. THE CFI TOOK CONTROL OF THE ACFT, BUT IT TOUCHED DOWN NEAR THE MIDPOINT OF THE RWY. RPRTDLY, BRAKING WAS NOT EFFECTIVE SINCE THE WEIGHT OF THE ACFT WAS NOT ON THE GEAR. THE ACFT CONTD OFF THE END OF THE RWY & HIT A TREE. ACCORDING TO THE CFI, BEFORE TAKEOFF, THE WIND WAS FROM THE SW AT 10 KTS. APRX 9 MI SOUTH AT THE ALBUQUERQUE INTL ARPT, THE 1853 MDT SPECIAL WX OBSERVATION SHOWED THAT THE WIND WAS FROM 030 DEG AT 20 GUSTING 34 KTS & THERE WAS A THUNDERSTORM WITH LIGHT RAIN.
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: flight instructor, commercial pilot
- Ratings: multi-engine land; single-engine land; instructor: airplane single-engine; instrument: airplane
- Flight time: 1,049 hours in all; 240 in this make and model; 218 in the last 90 days; 868 as pilot in command; 300 on instruments
- Medical certificate: Class 2 (valid medical--no waivers/lim.)
- Seat: rgt
The aircraft
- Airframe total time: 1,551 hours
- Last inspection: annual inspection, June 12, 1986; 62 hours since
- Maximum gross weight: 2,200 lb
- Seats: 4
- Landing gear: fixed
- Engine: Lycoming O-320-E2G (piston); 0 hours total
- Operator: Double Eagle Aviation
The flight
- Flight plan: none
- Runway 17, 4,010 ft by 60 ft
Weather at the time
- Light: daylight
- Visibility: 50 statute miles
- Sky: scat
- Temperature: 0°F (-18°C), dew point 0°F (-18°C)
Injuries
| Fatal | Serious | Minor | None | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Crew | 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.