Cessna 172M accident near Guinda, California, March 9, 1986
On March 9, 1986 at about 9:30 pm local time, a Cessna 172M, registered N6740H, was substantially damaged in an accident near Guinda, California. 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
- March 9, 1986 · about 9:30 pm local time
- Place
- Guinda, California · map
- Type
- Accident
- Injuries
- No one was hurt; 2 people were on board or involved.
- Weather
- visual conditions (good weather)
- Aircraft
- Cessna 172M · all 172Ms on the register
- Registration
- N6740H · no longer on the register · serial 17265560
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Personal flight · general aviation rules (Part 91)
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
THE PLT & HIS ROOMMATE WENT FLYING IN A RENTED ACFT. THE PLT MANEUVERED THE ACFT THROUGH A VALLEY, REVERSED COURSE, DESCENDED OVER AN ASSEMBLY OF PERSONS & WHILE BUZZING THEM COLLIDED WITH TREES. THE PLT WAS ABLE TO FLY THE SUBSTANTIALLY DAMAGED ACFT BACK TO THE DEPARTURE ARPT WITHOUT FURTHER MISHAP. THE PLT SAID THAT DURING HIS FLIGHT A GUSTY WIND CONDITION HAD EXISTED, & HE KNOWINGLY FLEW IN THE VALLEY BELOW THE LEVEL OF THE MOUNTAIN TOPS. THE PLT ALSO SAID THAT THE TURN HE MADE TO REVERSE COURSE WAS 'TOO TIGHT' & THAT HE DID NOT IMMEDIATELY TAKE CORRECTIVE ACTION TO REGAIN ALTITUDE UNTIL AFTER COLLIDING WITH THE TREES. THE PASSENGER STATED THAT IN THE VICINITY OF THE ACCIDENT SITE HE 'LIKELY KNEW SOME OF THE PERSONS ON THE GROUND.'
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: 750 hours in all; 45 in this make and model
- Medical certificate: Class 2 (valid medical--no waivers/lim.)
- Seat: rgt
The aircraft
- Airframe total time: 1,527 hours
- Last inspection: 100-hour inspection
- Maximum gross weight: 2,300 lb
- Seats: 4
- Landing gear: fixed
- Engine: Lycoming O-320-E2D (piston); 0 hours total
The flight
- Departed from: 2Q3 Woodland CA at 8:00 pm
- Destination: 2Q3 Woodland CA
- Flight plan: none
- Runway 0
Weather at the time
- Light: daylight
- Visibility: 15 statute miles
- Sky: not recorded; not recorded
- Temperature: 0°F (-18°C), dew point 0°F (-18°C)
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.