Cessna 177B accident near Fullerton, California, June 4, 1986
On June 4, 1986 at about 1:18 pm local time, a Cessna 177B, registered N35252, was destroyed in an accident near Fullerton, California (Fullerton airport). It was an aerial observation flight under general aviation rules (Part 91). 1 person was killed. 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 November 2, 2026. Docket and reports at the NTSB.
What the record shows
- Date
- June 4, 1986 · about 1:18 pm local time · cases in 1986
- Place
- Fullerton, California · Fullerton · cases near this airport
- Type
- Accident
- Injuries
- 1 person was killed.
- Weather
- visual conditions (good weather)
- Aircraft
- Cessna 177B · all 177Bs on the register
- Registration
- N35252 · registry record · serial 177-02291
- Damage
- Destroyed
- Flight
- Aerial observation flight · general aviation rules (Part 91)
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
THE PLT TOOK OFF ON A FLT TO PROVIDE TRAFFIC REPORTS TO A LOCAL BROADCASTING STATION. WITNESSES RPRTD THAT SHORTLY AFTERTAKEOFF, THE ENG BEGAN TO MISFIRE. THE ACFT ENTERED A STEEP LEFT BANK ANGLE, THEN PLUMMETED TOWARD THE GND. WHILE STILL IN A STEEP NOSE DOWN ATTITUDE, IT CRASHED INTO A TRACTOR-TRAILER RIG & BURNED. AN EXAM OF THE AIRFRAME & ENG DISCLOSED NO EVIDENCE OF A PREIMPACT PART MALFUNCTION OR FAILURE; HOWEVER, THE ENG ACCESSORIES WERE DESTROYED BY IMPACT & FIRE. AN EXAM OF THE PROPELLER REVEALED EVIDENCE THAT IT WAS TURNING WITH SOME POWER BEING DEVELOPED AT IMPACT. TOXICOLOGY CHECKS OF THE PLT'S BLOOD & BRAIN TISSUE SHOWED ALCOHOL LVLS OF 0.04% & 0.05%, RESPECTIVELY.
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: commercial pilot
- Ratings: multi-engine land; single-engine land; single-engine sea; instrument: airplane; rotorcraft: helicopter
- Flight time: 25,000 hours in all
- Medical certificate: Class 2 (invalid medical for flight)
- Seat: left
The aircraft
- Last inspection: annual inspection, October 20, 1985
- Maximum gross weight: 2,500 lb
- Seats: 4
- Landing gear: fixed
- Engine: Lycoming O-360-A1F6 (piston); 0 hours total
- Fire on the ground
The flight
- Departed from: FUL at 1:16 pm
- Flight plan: none
- Runway 6, 3,210 ft by 75 ft
Weather at the time
- Light: daylight
- Visibility: 5 statute miles
- Sky: overcast at 1,000 ft; not recorded at 1,000 ft
- Temperature: 63°F (17°C), dew point 57°F (14°C)
- Altimeter: 29.00 inHg
- Observation at 1:46 pm from FUL
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.
Other NTSB records under N35252 the same tail number, which may have belonged to a different aircraft at the time
Connections how this case links to the rest of the register
- N35252 on the register today · the tail number may have moved to another aircraft since
- Cessna 177 Cardinal 2,159 registered today · the model family and its accident history
- Cessna 72,677 aircraft on the register
- Engine: Lycoming O-360-A1F6 13 aircraft carry this series today · as the NTSB recorded it
- Fullerton Municipal · nearest airport
- Accidents and incidents in California 9,080 since 1982 · 1,096 in the last ten years
- California 28,112 aircraft registered
- Other NTSB records under N35252 1 records · the number may have belonged to another aircraft at the time
The whole map of how records connect · these connections as data: /graph/accident/LAX86FA240.json.
The bigger picture in Aviation Analytics: accidents over time since 1982, by model, by phase of flight and conditions, by place and on the map.
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 does not name anyone involved, its policy at this time. A preliminary report can change; the final report usually follows one to two years later, and the page is refreshed when it does.