Cessna 140 accident near Oroville, California, August 1, 1986
On August 1, 1986 at about 2:24 pm local time, a Cessna 140, registered N77326, was substantially damaged in an accident near Oroville, California (Oroville airport). It was a personal flight under general aviation rules (Part 91). 2 people had minor injuries. 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
- August 1, 1986 · about 2:24 pm local time
- Place
- Oroville, California · Oroville · map
- Type
- Accident
- Injuries
- 2 people had minor injuries.
- Weather
- visual conditions (good weather)
- Aircraft
- Cessna 140 · all 140s on the register
- Registration
- N77326 · no longer on the register · serial 11768
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Personal flight · general aviation rules (Part 91)
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
A CESSNA 140 NOSED OVER IN A DITCH AFTER ABORTING A TAKEOFF. THE PLT INDICATED HE WAS PRACTICING STOP AND GO LANDINGS. DURING THE LAST LANDING THE RIGHT BRAKE WAS INADVERTENTLY APPLIED AND THE ACFT VEERED TO THE RIGHT OFF THE RWY. THE PLT INITIATED A GO-AROUND BY APPLYING FULL POWER. THE ACFT WAS OFF THE RWY WITH THE TAKEOFF GROUND RUN TRANSPIRING ON RIGHT SHOULDER. THE ACFT BECAME AIRBORNE APRX MID-FIELD AND THE PLT CAUTIOUS NOT TO STALL THE ACFT LEVELED OFF TO ALLOW THE AIRSPEED TO BUILD. THE PLT THEN NOTICED AN APPROXIMATELY 4 FT TALL FENCE AND JUDGED HE HAD SUFFICIENT ALT TO CLEAR THE OBSTACLE. AS HE CROSSED THE FENCE APPROXIMATELY 220 FT FROM THE RWY CENTERLINE HE HEARD AN UNUSUAL 'TWANG' NOISE AND ASSUMED HE HAD STRUCK THE FENCE. HE DECIDED TO ABORT THE TAKEOFF AND LANDED ON THE RIGHT SHOULDER OF THE RWY. DURING THE LANDING GROUND ROLL, THE ACFT PLUNGED INTO A 10 FT DEEP DITCH AND NOSED OVER. A POST ACCIDENT EXAMINATION OF THE ACFT REVEALED BARB WIRE ENTANGLED ON THE TAILWHEEL.
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: 692 hours in all; 200 in this make and model; 57 in the last 90 days; 22 in the last 30 days; 532 as pilot in command
- Medical certificate: Class 3 (valid medical--no waivers/lim.)
- Seat: unk
The aircraft
- Airframe total time: 1,222 hours
- Last inspection: annual inspection, June 15, 1986; 50 hours since
- Maximum gross weight: 1,450 lb
- Seats: 2
- Landing gear: fixed
- Engine: Lycoming O-235 SERIES (piston); 0 hours total
The flight
- Departed from: Oroville CA at 1:15 pm
- Flight plan: none
- Runway 19, 5,960 ft by 150 ft
Weather at the time
- Light: daylight
- Visibility: 30 statute miles
- Sky: scat at 20,000 ft
- Temperature: 0°F (-18°C), dew point 0°F (-18°C)
- Altimeter: 29.00 inHg
- Observation at 2:52 pm from CIC, 22 miles away
Injuries
| Fatal | Serious | Minor | None | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Crew | 1 | |||
| Passengers | 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.