Cessna 172N accident near Apple Valley, California, March 15, 1986
On March 15, 1986 at about 11:39 pm local time, a Cessna 172N, registered N739GB, was substantially damaged in an accident near Apple Valley, California (Apple Valley 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
- March 15, 1986 · about 11:39 pm local time
- Place
- Apple Valley, California · Apple Valley · 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
- N739GB · no longer on the register · serial 17270522
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Personal flight · general aviation rules (Part 91)
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
A CESSNA 172N NOSED OVER ON THE TAXIWAY AFTER COMPLETING A FULL STOP LDG ON THE RWY. WINDS WERE REPORTED FROM 180 DEG AT 18 KTS GUSTING TO 23 KTS WITH PEAK GUSTS FROM THE SE AT 31 KTS. UNICOM REPORTED WINDS FROM THE S AT 20 KTS GUSTING TO 30 KTS. THE PLT HAD COMPLETED HIS LDG ON RWY AND WAS TAXIING ON THE MIDFIELD TAXIWAY WHEN A GUST WIND LIFTED THE TAIL CAUSING THE ACFT TO NOSE OVER. THE PLT ALSO INDICATED HE HAD THE AILERONS INTO THE WIND AND THE ELEVATOR NEUTRAL WHILE TAXIING. THE MIDFIELD TAXIWAY AT THE POINT WHERE THE ACCIDENT OCCURRED IS PERPENDICULAR TO THE RWY, THUS CREATING A X-WIND/TAILWIND CONDITION BASED ON REPORTED WINDS.
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: 146 hours in all; 19 in this make and model; 19 in the last 90 days; 6 in the last 30 days; 105 as pilot in command; 1 on instruments
- Medical certificate: Class 2 (valid medical--w/ waivers/lim.)
- Seat: left
The aircraft
- Airframe total time: 1,824 hours
- Last inspection: annual inspection, February 1, 1986; 14 hours since
- Maximum gross weight: 2,300 lb
- Seats: 4
- Landing gear: fixed
- Engine: Lycoming O-320-H2AD (piston); 0 hours total
The flight
- Departed from: P06 Bullhead City AZ at 10:05 pm
- Destination: APV Apple Valley CA
- Flight plan: none
- Runway 18, 6,500 ft by 150 ft
Weather at the time
- Light: daylight
- Wind: from 180° at 18 knots, gusting 23
- Visibility: 20 statute miles
- Sky: broken clouds at 12,000 ft; scat at 4,000 ft
- Temperature: 54°F (12°C), dew point 0°F (-18°C)
- Altimeter: 29.00 inHg
- Observation at 11:55 pm from VCV, 10 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.