Cessna 180 accident near Lucerne Valley, California, October 4, 1986
On October 4, 1986 at about 11:30 pm local time, a Cessna 180, registered N1750C, was substantially damaged in an accident near Lucerne Valley, California (Soggy Dry Lake airport). It was a personal flight under general aviation rules (Part 91). No one was hurt; 3 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
- October 4, 1986 · about 11:30 pm local time
- Place
- Lucerne Valley, California · Soggy Dry Lake · map
- Type
- Accident
- Injuries
- No one was hurt; 3 people were on board or involved.
- Weather
- visual conditions (good weather)
- Aircraft
- Cessna 180 · all 180s on the register
- Registration
- N1750C · registry record · serial 30450
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Personal flight · general aviation rules (Part 91)
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
THE PILOT STATED THAT THE WIND HAD BEEN LIGHT AND VARIABLE WITH INTERMITTENT GUSTS AND ON THE TAKE-OFF ROLL AS THE NOSE OF THE AIRCRAFT SUDDENLY SWUNG 30 DEGREES TO THE LEFT AND HE WAS UNABLE TO COMPENSATE WITH RIGHT RUDDER. THE RIGHT WING TIP THEN DUG INTO THE GROUND AND THE AIRCRAFT NOSED OVER INVERTED.
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: commercial pilot
- Ratings: single-engine land; instrument: airplane; rotorcraft: glider
- Flight time: 1,965 hours in all; 1,125 in this make and model; 37 in the last 90 days; 1,839 as pilot in command
- Medical certificate: Class 3 (valid medical--w/ waivers/lim.)
- Seat: left
The aircraft
- Airframe total time: 3,359 hours
- Last inspection: annual inspection, November 3, 1985; 76 hours since
- Maximum gross weight: 2,550 lb
- Seats: 4
- Landing gear: fixed
- Engine: Continental O-470R (piston); 0 hours total
The flight
- Departed from: L85 at 11:30 pm
- Destination: SNA Santa Ana CA
- Flight plan: none
- Runway 14, 10,000 ft
Weather at the time
- Light: daylight
- Visibility: 25 statute miles
- Sky: clear
- Temperature: 0°F (-18°C), dew point 0°F (-18°C)
Injuries
| Fatal | Serious | Minor | None | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Crew | 1 | |||
| Passengers | 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.
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.