Cessna 172N accident near Corpus Christi, Texas, January 22, 1986
On January 22, 1986, a Cessna 172N, registered N738DC, was destroyed in an accident near Corpus Christi, Texas (Corpus Christi In'L airport). It was an instructional flight under general aviation rules (Part 91). 2 people had minor injuries. The weather was instrument conditions (cloud, fog or low visibility).
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
- January 22, 1986
- Place
- Corpus Christi, Texas · Corpus Christi In'L · map
- Type
- Accident
- Injuries
- 2 people had minor injuries.
- Weather
- instrument conditions (cloud, fog or low visibility)
- Aircraft
- Cessna 172N · all 172Ns on the register
- Registration
- N738DC · registry record · serial 17269887
- Damage
- Destroyed
- Flight
- Instructional flight · general aviation rules (Part 91)
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
THE STUDENT WAS RECEIVING DUAL INSTRUMENT FLT INSTRUCTION. SHE HAD CONDUCTED SEVERAL PRACTICE INSTRUMENT APCHS, ALL IN VMC CONDITIONS. THE LAST WAS AN ILS TO RWY 13 AT CORPUS CHRISTI INT'L ARPT. IT STARTED IN VMC CONDITIONS BUT ENTERED CLOUDS AT ABOUT 550 FT. THE DESCENT CONTINUED TO ABOUT 300 FT AT WHICH TIME THE CFI CALLED A MISSED APCH. THE CFI STARTED A CLIMB TO ABOUT 350 FT AND HE FELT GROUND IMPACT. BEFORE IMPACT HE NOTED THE ACFT WAS IN A 20 DEG RIGHT BANK AND HE LEVELED THE WINGS. THE STUDENT STATED SHE WAS IN A STATE OF FATIGUE WHEN THE ACCIDENT OCCURRED. SHE HAD BEEN USING THE AIRSPEED AND VERTICAL SPPED INDICATORS TO VERIFY THE ACFT WAS CLIMBING. SHE MADE NO REFERENCE TO THE ATTITUDE INDICATOR FOR PITCH CONTROL. THE CFI STATED HE SPENT 3 OR 4 HRS WITH THE STUDENT DOING BASIC AIRWORK. THE CFI HAD RENEWED HIS CFI CERTIFICATE 3 DAYS BEFORE THE ACCIDENT BY ATTENDING A FAA APPROVED GROUND TRAINING COURSE. THERE WAS NO FLT CHECK INVOLVED IN THE CERTIFICATE RENEWAL.
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: 1,880 hours in all; 265 in this make and model; 31 in the last 90 days; 1,716 as pilot in command
- Medical certificate: Class 2 (valid medical--no waivers/lim.)
- Seat: rgt
The aircraft
- Last inspection: annual inspection, March 2, 1985
- Maximum gross weight: 2,150 lb
- Seats: 4
- Landing gear: fixed
- Engine: Lycoming O-320-H2AD (piston); 0 hours total
The flight
- Flight plan: IFR
- Runway 13, 7,500 ft by 150 ft
- A second pilot was aboard
Weather at the time
- Light: dusk
- Wind: from 140° at 13 knots
- Sky: not recorded at 100 ft
- Temperature: 61°F (16°C), dew point 61°F (16°C)
- Altimeter: 30.00 inHg
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.