Cessna 172N accident near Vega, Texas, May 28, 1986
On May 28, 1986 at about 11:15 pm local time, a Cessna 172N, registered N6352D, was destroyed in an accident near Vega, Texas (Vega-Oidham CO airport). It was a personal 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
- May 28, 1986 · about 11:15 pm local time
- Place
- Vega, Texas · Vega-Oidham CO · map
- Type
- Accident
- Injuries
- No one was hurt; 2 people were on board or involved.
- Weather
- visual conditions (good weather)
- Aircraft
- Cessna 172N · all 172Ns on the register
- Registration
- N6352D · registry record · serial 17272738
- Damage
- Destroyed
- Flight
- Personal flight · general aviation rules (Part 91)
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
THE PILOT WAS PRACTICING TOUCH AND GO LANDINGS, WHEN THE AIRCRAFT BEGAN VEERING TO THE LEFT AFTER LANDING. HE TRIED TO APPLY FULL RIGHT RUDDER, BUT THE AIRCRAFT CONTINUED TO VEER LEFT OFF THE RUNWAY. THE PILOT PULLED THE NOSE UP TO CLEAR A TRACTOR. THE AIRCRAFT STALLED, PITCHED NOSE DOWN, COLLIDED WITH THE GROUND, AND NOSED OVER INTO AN INVERTED POSITION. INSPECTION OF THE LEFT MAIN GEAR REVEALED WHAT APPEARED TO BE A NEW BREAK IN THE BOLT WHICH HOLDS THE MAIN GEAR, AS A RESULT OF A HARD LANDING.
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: 2,000 hours in all; 25 in this make and model; 24 in the last 90 days; 24 as pilot in command
- Medical certificate: Class 3 (valid medical--w/ waivers/lim.)
- Seat: left
The aircraft
- Airframe total time: 600 hours
- Last inspection: annual inspection, May 21, 1986; 24 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: Amarillo TX at 10:45 pm
- Flight plan: none
- Runway 35, 3,600 ft by 50 ft
Weather at the time
- Light: daylight
- Wind: from 320° at 8 knots
- Visibility: 20 statute miles
- Sky: broken clouds at 25,000 ft
- Temperature: 70°F (21°C), dew point 45°F (7°C)
- Altimeter: 29.00 inHg
- Observation at 10:50 pm from AMA, 30 miles away
Injuries
| Fatal | Serious | Minor | None | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Crew | 1 | |||
| Passengers | 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.