Cessna 172M accident near Shingle Springs, California, November 6, 1986
On November 6, 1986 at about 11:00 pm local time, a Cessna 172M, registered N9674Q, was destroyed in an accident near Shingle Springs, California (Cameron Airpark airport). It was a personal 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
- November 6, 1986 · about 11:00 pm local time
- Place
- Shingle Springs, California · Cameron Airpark · map
- Type
- Accident
- Injuries
- No one was hurt; 2 people were on board or involved.
- Weather
- visual conditions (good weather)
- Aircraft
- Cessna 172M · all 172Ms on the register
- Registration
- N9674Q · no longer on the register · serial 17265758
- Damage
- Destroyed
- Flight
- Personal flight · general aviation rules (Part 91)
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
THE PLT INDICATED THAT AFTER LANDING THE ENG QUIT WHILE TURNING THE ACFT AROUND ON THE RWY. HE ATTEMPTED TO RESTART THE ENG SEVERAL TIMES BUT WAS UNABLE. THE PLT THEN EXITED THE ACFT AND PUSHED IT TO THE RWY SHOULDER. A LOCAL MECHANIC WHO WAS ALSO A PLT, ARRIVED AND ASSISTED THE PLT. THE MECHANIC ATTEMPTED TO START THE ENG. THE PLT WHO WAS OUTSIDE OF THE ACFT AT THE TIME NOTICED A FIRE IN THE ENG COWLING. THE MECHANIC THEN SHUT THE FUEL OFF AND EXITED THE ACFT ALONG WITH THE PLT'S PAX. THE PLT INDICATED THAT THERE WAS NO FIRE EXTINGUISHER NEARBY AND THE FIRE WAS ALLOWED TO SPREAD, DESTROYING THE ACFT. THE CESSNA PILOT'S OPERATING HANDBOOK CAUTIONS PILOT'S ABOUT THE HAZARD OF FIRE IN THE INDUCTION SYSTEM IF FUEL IS ALLOWED ACCUMULATE. THE HANDBOOK STATES, 'PUMPING THE THROTTLE MAY CAUSE RAW FUEL TO ACCUMULATE IN THE INTAKE AIR DUCT, CREATING A FIRE HAZARD IN THE EVENT OF A BACKFIRE. IF THIS OCCURS, MAINTAIN A CRANKING ACTION TO SUCK THE FLAMES INTO THE ENGINE.'
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; instrument: airplane
- Flight time: 781 hours in all; 225 in this make and model; 7 in the last 90 days; 2 in the last 30 days; 733 as pilot in command
- Medical certificate: Class 1 (valid medical--no waivers/lim.)
- Seat: left
The aircraft
- Last inspection: inspection type not recorded
- Maximum gross weight: 2,300 lb
- Seats: 4
- Landing gear: fixed
- Engine: Lycoming O-320-E2D (piston); 0 hours total
- Fire on the ground
The flight
- Departed from: 103 Lodi CA at 10:15 pm
- Destination: 061 Shingle Springs CA
- Flight plan: none
- Runway 31, 4,060 ft by 50 ft
Weather at the time
- Light: daylight
- Wind: from 320° at 16 knots, gusting 22
- Visibility: 35 statute miles
- Sky: clear
- Temperature: 70°F (21°C), dew point 21°F (-6°C)
- Altimeter: 30.00 inHg
- Observation at 10:45 pm from SAC, 25 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.