Cessna 177 accident near Lubbock, Texas, April 20, 1986
On April 20, 1986 at about 10:21 pm local time, a Cessna 177, registered N29612, was substantially damaged in an accident near Lubbock, Texas (Lubbock Industrial airport). It was a personal flight under general aviation rules (Part 91). 1 person had minor injuries; 2 others were unhurt. 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
- April 20, 1986 · about 10:21 pm local time
- Place
- Lubbock, Texas · Lubbock Industrial · map
- Type
- Accident
- Injuries
- 1 person had minor injuries; 2 others were unhurt.
- Weather
- visual conditions (good weather)
- Aircraft
- Cessna 177 · all 177s on the register
- Registration
- N29612 · no longer on the register · serial 1700991
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Personal flight · general aviation rules (Part 91)
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
DURING AN ATTEMPTED GO-AROUND, AFTER TOUCHING DOWN PAST THE RUNWAY MID-POINT, THE PILOT STATED HE WAS UNABLE TO OBTAIN SUFFICIENT POWER DURING THE GO-AROUND. THE AIRCRAFT CRASHED 200 FEET OFF THE END OF THE RUNWAY. FAA INSPECTORS ON THE SCENE STATED THAT THEY COULD FIND NO EVIDENCE OF PRE-IMPACT FAILURE OR MALFUNCTION AND THAT AN AIR FORCE INSTRUCTOR PILOT HAD INFORMED THEM THAT THE PILOT USED IMPROPER FLYING TECHNIQUES, WHICH RESULTED IN THE ACCIDENT. PILOT ATTEMPTED LANDING WITH A TEN KNOT TAIL WIND.
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: 68 hours in all; 8 in this make and model; 6 in the last 90 days; 31 as pilot in command
- Medical certificate: Class 3
- Seat: left
The aircraft
- Airframe total time: 30,001 hours
- Last inspection: annual inspection, March 15, 1986
- Maximum gross weight: 2,275 lb
- Seats: 4
- Landing gear: fixed
- Engine: Lycoming O-320-E2D (piston); 0 hours total
The flight
- Flight plan: none
- Runway 17, 2,600 ft by 30 ft
Weather at the time
- Light: daylight
- Wind: from 330° at 10 knots
- Visibility: 15 statute miles
- Temperature: 73°F (23°C), dew point 39°F (4°C)
- Altimeter: 30.00 inHg
- Observation at 10:00 pm from IBB
Injuries
| Fatal | Serious | Minor | None | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Crew | 1 | |||
| Passengers | 1 | 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.