Cessna 172N accident near Columbia, California, April 27, 1986
On April 27, 1986 at about 7:40 pm local time, a Cessna 172N, registered N7338F, was substantially damaged in an accident near Columbia, California (Columbia airport). It was a personal flight under general aviation rules (Part 91). No one was hurt; 4 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 27, 1986 · about 7:40 pm local time
- Place
- Columbia, California · Columbia · map
- Type
- Accident
- Injuries
- No one was hurt; 4 people were on board or involved.
- Weather
- visual conditions (good weather)
- Aircraft
- Cessna 172N · all 172Ns on the register
- Registration
- N7338F · registry record · serial 17273251
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Personal flight · general aviation rules (Part 91)
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
THE PLT MISJUDGED THE FLARE DURING LANDING AND THE ACFT TOUCHED DOWN IN A NOSE LOW ATTITUDE SHEARING THE NOSE GEAR FROM THE ACFT. THE DENSITY ALTITUDE WAS CALCULATED TO BE 3,500 FT WHEN THE ACCIDENT OCCURRED.
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: 167 hours in all; 29 in this make and model; 25 in the last 90 days; 77 as pilot in command
- Medical certificate: Class 3 (valid medical--no waivers/lim.)
- Seat: left
The aircraft
- Last inspection: inspection type not recorded
- Maximum gross weight: 2,150 lb
- Seats: 4
- Landing gear: fixed
- Engine: Lycoming O-320-H2AD (piston); 0 hours total
The flight
- Departed from: HWD Hayward CA at 6:30 pm
- Destination: 022 Columbia CA
- Flight plan: none
- Runway 17, 4,060 ft by 75 ft
Weather at the time
- Light: daylight
- Wind: from 270° at 4 knots
- Visibility: 30 statute miles
- Sky: broken clouds at 2,500 ft; not recorded at 2,500 ft
- Temperature: 73°F (23°C), dew point 45°F (7°C)
- Altimeter: 30.00 inHg
- Observation at 10:30 am from SCK, 41 miles away
Injuries
| Fatal | Serious | Minor | None | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Crew | 1 | |||
| Passengers | 3 |
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 N7338F the same tail number, which may have belonged to a different aircraft at the time
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.