Cessna 172P accident near Los Angeles, California, July 3, 1986
On July 3, 1986 at about 5:20 am local time, a Cessna 172P, registered N54203, was substantially damaged in an accident near Los Angeles, California (Los Angeles Intl airport). It was a personal flight under general aviation rules (Part 91). No one was hurt; 1 person was 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
- July 3, 1986 · about 5:20 am local time
- Place
- Los Angeles, California · Los Angeles Intl · map
- Type
- Accident
- Injuries
- No one was hurt; 1 person was on board or involved.
- Weather
- visual conditions (good weather)
- Aircraft
- Cessna 172P · all 172Ps on the register
- Registration
- N54203 · registry record · serial 17274915
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Personal flight · general aviation rules (Part 91)
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
THE PRIVATE PLT HAD NO PRIOR EXPERIENCE AT THE LOS ANGELES INTL. ARPT. & THE PLT WAS UNKNOWLEDGEABLE OF THE EXISTENCE OF ARPT MOTOR VEHICLE TRAFFIC SERVICE ROADS. THE PLT WAS GIVEN AN ATC CLEARANCE TO TAXI, & IN THE DARKNESS THE PLT MISTOOK A SERVICE ROAD FOR THE DESIRED TAXIWAY. ALSO, THE PLT REPORTED TO THE NTSB THAT HE WAS IN A HURRY TO FLY FROM LAX TO SAN DIEGO BECAUSE HE HAD TO RETURN TO WORK. THE PLT ACKNOWLEDGED THAT, WHILE TAXIING, HE HAD MOMENTARILY DIVERTED HIS ATTENTION TO INSIDE THE COCKPIT. WHEN HE LOOKED BACK OUTSIDE HE OBSERVED A TRUCK, BUT HE BELIEVED HIS RIGHT WING WOULD CLEAR IT. THE TRUCK, WHICH HAD STOPPED ON THE SERVICE ROAD & WAS HOLDING FOR AIR TRAFFIC, WAS STRUCK ON ITS LEFT REAR SIDE BY THE CESSNA'S RIGHT WING.
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: 177 hours in all; 66 in this make and model; 49 in the last 90 days; 17 in the last 30 days; 128 as pilot in command
- Medical certificate: Class 3 (valid medical--w/ waivers/lim.)
- Seat: left
The aircraft
- Airframe total time: 2,013 hours
- Last inspection: 100-hour inspection, June 6, 1986; 53 hours since
- Maximum gross weight: 2,400 lb
- Seats: 4
- Landing gear: fixed
- Engine: Lycoming O-320-D2J (piston); 0 hours total
- Operator: Skylighters Flying Club
The flight
- Departed from: LAX Los Angeles CA at 5:19 am
- Destination: MYF San Diego CA
- Flight plan: none
- Runway 0
Weather at the time
- Light: night, dark
- Wind: from 230° at 5 knots
- Visibility: 6 statute miles
- Sky: scat at 800 ft
- Temperature: 66°F (19°C), dew point 63°F (17°C)
- Altimeter: 29.00 inHg
- Observation at 5:20 am from LAX
Injuries
| Fatal | Serious | Minor | None | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Crew | 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.