Cessna 140 accident near Palo Alto, California, April 5, 1986
On April 5, 1986 at about 11:16 pm local time, a Cessna 140, registered N89374, was substantially damaged in an accident near Palo Alto, California (Palo Alto Of Santa Clara airport). It was an instructional 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
- April 5, 1986 · about 11:16 pm local time
- Place
- Palo Alto, California · Palo Alto Of Santa Clara · map
- Type
- Accident
- Injuries
- No one was hurt; 2 people were on board or involved.
- Weather
- visual conditions (good weather)
- Aircraft
- Cessna 140 · all 140s on the register
- Registration
- N89374 · no longer on the register · serial 8406
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Instructional flight · general aviation rules (Part 91)
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
THE PURPOSE OF THE DUAL INSTRUCTIONAL FLIGHT WAS FOR THE INSTRUCTOR PILOT TO CHECK OUT A PRIVATE PILOT IN THE CONVENTIONAL GEAR CESSNA 140 AIRCRAFT. AFTER A SERIES OF UNEVENTFUL FULL STOP & TOUCH & GO LANDINGS, THE STUDENT WAS DIRECTED TO LAND. THE CFI & A GROUND BASED WITNESS REPORTED THAT THE ACFT LANDED NORMALLY. THE WITNESS REPORTED THAT DURING THE LAST PORTION OF THE ACFT'S ROLL OUT THE SURFACE WIND PROVIDED THE ACFT WITH A TAILWIND COMPONENT. THE CFI REPORTED THAT HER STUDENT 'CAME UP ON THE BRAKES' & SHE DIRECTED HIM NOT TO BRAKE. THE CFI FURTHER STATED THAT DESPITE HER EFFORT AT SAVING THE ACFT BY APPLYING BACK PRESSURE TO THE YOKE, SHE LOST CONTROL & THE ACFT NOSED OVER.
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: flight instructor, commercial pilot
- Ratings: multi-engine land; single-engine land; single-engine sea; instructor: airplane single-engine; instrument: airplane
- Flight time: 484 hours in all; 11 in this make and model; 117 in the last 90 days; 42 in the last 30 days; 359 as pilot in command; 100 on instruments
- Medical certificate: Class 2 (valid medical--w/ waivers/lim.)
- Seat: rgt
The aircraft
- Airframe total time: 3,616 hours
- Last inspection: 100-hour inspection, October 21, 1985; 8 hours since
- Maximum gross weight: 1,450 lb
- Seats: 2
- Landing gear: fixed
- Engine: Continental C-85-12F (piston); 0 hours total
- Operator: Palo Alto Flying Club
The flight
- Departed from: PAO Palo Alto CA at 10:30 pm
- Destination: PAO Palo Alto CA
- Flight plan: none
- Runway 30, 2,500 ft by 65 ft
- A second pilot was aboard
Weather at the time
- Light: daylight
- Wind: from 020° at 4 knots
- Visibility: 25 statute miles
- Sky: broken clouds at 2,500 ft; not recorded
- Temperature: 59°F (15°C), dew point 52°F (11°C)
- Altimeter: 29.00 inHg
- Observation at 11:15 pm from PAO
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.