Cessna 172N accident near Clearlake, California, April 30, 1986
On April 30, 1986 at about 10:45 pm local time, a Cessna 172N, registered N738JE, was substantially damaged in an accident near Clearlake, California (Skylark 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 30, 1986 · about 10:45 pm local time
- Place
- Clearlake, California · Skylark · 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
- N738JE · no longer on the register · serial 17270007
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Instructional flight · general aviation rules (Part 91)
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
THE FLT INSTRUCTOR (CFI) SAID HE WAS INSTRUCTING THE STUDENT IN HOW TO JUDGE A STRAIGHT-IN APPROACH AND LANDING TO A DOCK WITH MINIMAL TAXIING REQUIRED. DURING THE APPROACH, THE CFI DETERMINED THAT THE STUDENT WAS OVERSHOOTING THE DESIRED TOUCHDOWN POINT, SO HE TOLD THE STUDENT TO MAKE A GO-AROUND. A NORMAL GO-AROUND WAS INITIATED IN ADDITION TO A RIGHT TURN. AFTER 8 TO 10 SECONDS ON THE CROSSWIND LEG, ANOTHER RIGHT TURN WAS STARTED TO TAKE THE AIRCRAFT OUT TOWARD THE MOUTH OF THE BAY. THE CFI STATED THAT AFTER 2 TO 3 SECONDS IN THE TURN,' THE AIRCRAFT ABRUPTLY BANKED LEFT, LOST ALTITUDE AND THE LEFT WING DUG INTO THE WATER.' HE ALSO STATED THAT THE LAKE WAS SURROUNDED BY HILLS THAT ROSE 3,000 FT OR MORE ABOVE THE LAKE LEVEL, AND THAT 'STRONG UPPER LEVEL WINDS, ROLL TURBULENCE AND SHIFTING GUSTING WINDS CAN OCCUR NEAR THE SHORE OF THE LAKE.' REPORTEDLY, AT THE TIME OF THE ACCIDENT, THE WINDS WERE FROM 240 DEGS, VARIABLE TO 290 DEGS AT 10 GUSTING 15 KTS.
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 multi-engine; instructor: airplane single-engine; instructor: instrument airplane; instrument: airplane
- Flight time: 1,970 hours in all; 62 in this make and model; 80 in the last 90 days; 30 in the last 30 days; 1,850 as pilot in command; 920 on instruments
- Medical certificate: Class 2 (valid medical--no waivers/lim.)
- Seat: rgt
The aircraft
- Airframe total time: 3,226 hours
- Last inspection: annual inspection, April 19, 1986; 12 hours since
- Maximum gross weight: 2,350 lb
- Seats: 4
- Landing gear: fixed
- Engine: Lycoming O-360-A3A (piston); 0 hours total
The flight
- Flight plan: none
- Runway 0, 15,000 ft
- A second pilot was aboard
Weather at the time
- Light: daylight
- Wind: from 270° at 10 knots, gusting 15
- Visibility: 50 statute miles
- Sky: scat at 8,000 ft
- Temperature: 70°F (21°C), dew point 0°F (-18°C)
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.
Other NTSB records under N738JE 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.