Cessna 172M accident near Crescent City, California, May 9, 1986
On May 9, 1986 at about 1:00 am local time, a Cessna 172M, registered N4450R, was destroyed in an accident near Crescent City, California (Jack Mcnamara airport). It was a personal flight under general aviation rules (Part 91). 1 person had minor injuries; 2 others were unhurt. 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
- May 9, 1986 · about 1:00 am local time
- Place
- Crescent City, California · Jack Mcnamara · map
- Type
- Accident
- Injuries
- 1 person had minor injuries; 2 others were unhurt.
- Weather
- visual conditions (good weather)
- Aircraft
- Cessna 172M · all 172Ms on the register
- Registration
- N4450R · no longer on the register · serial 17263192
- Damage
- Destroyed
- Flight
- Personal flight · general aviation rules (Part 91)
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
THE PILOT REPORTED DUE TO SEVERE TURBULENCE HE DECIDED TO LAND LONG. UPON REALIZING THAT THE AIRPLANE WAS TOO HIGH HE ADDED FULL FLAPS. SHORTLY AFTER TOUCHDOWN THE PLT BEGAN TO LOSE CONTROL OF THE AIRPLANE AND ELECTED TO TAKEOFF. DURING THE INITIAL CLIMB THE AIRPLANE DID NOT ACCELERATE AND ITS RATE OF CLIMB WAS 'SLOW.' REALIZING THAT A CRASH WAS INEVITABLE THE PLT ELECTED TO 'STALL THE AIRPLANE' INTO SOME TREES. THE PLT REPORTED THAT HE DID NOT RETRACT THE FLAPS WHEN HE INITIATED THE TAKEOFF.
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: 97 hours in all; 5 in this make and model; 6 in the last 90 days; 32 as pilot in command
- Medical certificate: Class 3 (expired)
- Seat: left
The aircraft
- Airframe total time: 3,085 hours
- Last inspection: annual inspection, August 1, 1985; 28 hours since
- Maximum gross weight: 2,300 lb
- Seats: 4
- Landing gear: fixed
- Engine: Lycoming O-320-E2D (piston); 0 hours total
The flight
- Departed from: O89 Fall River Mill CA at 11:40 pm
- Flight plan: VFR
- Runway 29, 5,002 ft by 150 ft
Weather at the time
- Light: daylight
- Wind: from 310° at 25 knots
- Visibility: 30 statute miles
- Sky: scat at 2,000 ft
- Temperature: 52°F (11°C), dew point 46°F (8°C)
- Altimeter: 30.00 inHg
- Observation at 2:30 am from CEC
Injuries
| Fatal | Serious | Minor | None | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Crew | 1 | |||
| Passengers | 1 | 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.