Cessna 172N accident near Sallisaw, Oklahoma, August 14, 1985
On August 14, 1985 at about 6:00 pm local time, a Cessna 172N, registered N738XZ, was substantially damaged in an accident near Sallisaw, Oklahoma (Sallisaw 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
- August 14, 1985 · about 6:00 pm local time
- Place
- Sallisaw, Oklahoma · Sallisaw Municipal · map
- 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
- N738XZ · no longer on the register · serial 17270330
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Personal flight · general aviation rules (Part 91)
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
THE PLT STATED HE HAD AN ELECTRICAL FAILURE AND ELECTED TO MAKE A PRECAUTIONARY LANDING AT SALLISAW MUNICIPAL ARPT. EQUIPMENT WAS ON THE RWY AND THE PLT ELECTED TO LAND ON A GRASS STRIP NEXT TO THE RWY. HE TOUCHED DOWN AND DURING ROLLOUT THOUGHT HE COULD NOT STOP ON THE STRIP AND INITIATED AN ABORTED LANDING. THE ACFT COLLIDED WITH TREES AT THE END OF THE RWY.
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: 560 hours in all; 505 in this make and model; 25 in the last 90 days; 520 as pilot in command
- Medical certificate: Class 3 (valid medical--no waivers/lim.)
- Seat: left
The aircraft
- Airframe total time: 487 hours
- Last inspection: annual inspection, July 1, 1985; 15 hours since
- Maximum gross weight: 2,150 lb
- Seats: 4
- Landing gear: fixed
- Engine: Lycoming O-320-H2AD (piston); 0 hours total
The flight
- Departed from: SGF Springfield MO at 5:00 pm
- Destination: PHX Phoenix AZ
- Flight plan: none
- Runway 9
Weather at the time
- Light: daylight
- Wind: from 050° at 8 knots
- Visibility: 12 statute miles
- Sky: overcast at 8,000 ft; not recorded at 8,000 ft
- Temperature: 79°F (26°C), dew point 68°F (20°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.