Cessna 172P accident near Ontario, California, February 12, 1986
On February 12, 1986 at about 3:42 am local time, a Cessna 172P, registered N55386, was substantially damaged in an accident near Ontario, California (Ontario Intl 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
- February 12, 1986 · about 3:42 am local time
- Place
- Ontario, California · Ontario Intl · map
- Type
- Accident
- Injuries
- No one was hurt; 2 people were on board or involved.
- Weather
- visual conditions (good weather)
- Aircraft
- Cessna 172P · all 172Ps on the register
- Registration
- N55386 · registry record · serial 17275172
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Personal flight · general aviation rules (Part 91)
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
THE OWNER/PLT (PIC) WAS ON A FLT FOR NIGHT & INSTRUMENT CURRENCY REQUIREMENTS. HE WAS FLYING THE ACFT FROM THE LEFT FRONT SEAT WHILE A COMMERCIAL PLT (CP) WAS OCCUPYING THE RGT FRONT SEAT. DRG AN ILS RWY 26L FINAL APCH AT ONTARIO, CA, THE PIC & CP DISCUSSED A CONSTANT 'ON GLIDE SLOPE' INDICATION & ELECTED TO MAKE A LOCALIZER ONLY APCH. THE CP MISTAKENLYSELECTED AN INCORRECT APCH PLATE & ADVISED THE PIC THAT THE MIN DSCNT ALT (MDA) WAS 1060'. THE ACTUAL MDA FOR THE APCH WAS 1240'. WHILE THEY WERE DISCUSSING THE ALT, THE ACFT DSCNDD & STRUCK ELEC TRANSMISSION LINES AT AN ELEV OF 992'. THE ACFT BECAME ENTANGLED IN THE LINES & REMAINED SUSPENDED FOR 4 HRS BEFORE THE PLTS WERE RESCUED.
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; instructor: glider; instrument: airplane; rotorcraft: glider
- Flight time: 1,232 hours in all; 248 in this make and model; 9 in the last 90 days; 1,167 as pilot in command; 115 on instruments
- Medical certificate: Class 2 (valid medical--w/ waivers/lim.)
- Seat: left
The aircraft
- Last inspection: 100-hour inspection, October 14, 1985
- Maximum gross weight: 2,150 lb
- Seats: 4
- Landing gear: fixed
- Engine: Lycoming O-320 (piston); 0 hours total
The flight
- Departed from: FUL Fullerton CA at 3:10 am
- Destination: ONT
- Flight plan: IFR
- Runway 26L, 10,200 ft by 150 ft
- A second pilot was aboard
Weather at the time
- Light: night, dark
- Wind: from 310° at 7 knots
- Visibility: 10 statute miles
- Sky: overcast at 10,000 ft; scat at 4,000 ft
- Temperature: 52°F (11°C), dew point 41°F (5°C)
- Altimeter: 30.00 inHg
- Observation at 3:52 am from ONT, 2 miles away
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.