Cessna 182Q accident near San Rafael, California, December 6, 1986
On December 6, 1986 at about 11:00 pm local time, a Cessna 182Q, registered N759DH, was substantially damaged in an accident near San Rafael, California (Smith Ranch airport). It was an instructional 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
- December 6, 1986 · about 11:00 pm local time
- Place
- San Rafael, California · Smith Ranch · map
- Type
- Accident
- Injuries
- No one was hurt; 2 people were on board or involved.
- Weather
- visual conditions (good weather)
- Aircraft
- Cessna 182Q · all 182Qs on the register
- Registration
- N759DH · registry record · serial 82-65907
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Instructional flight · general aviation rules (Part 91)
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
DURING AN INSTRUCTIONAL FLIGHT, THE STUDENT PILOT WAS NOT ALIGNED PROPERLY WITH THE RUNWAY. THE FLIGHT INSTRUCTOR (CFI) TOOK CONTROL OF THE AIRCRAFT ON FINAL, BUT HE STATED THAT IT DID NOT RESPOND WHEN HE APPLIED RUDDER CONTROL. AFTER TOUCHDOWN, THE AIRCRAFT SWERVED TO THE RIGHT, RAN OFF THE RUNWAY AND COLLIDED WITH A FENCE. NO MECHANICAL PROBLEM WAS FOUND WITH THE RUDDER CONTROL. THE CESSNA NAVOMATIC AUTOPILOT WAS FOUND TO BE IN THE 'ON' POSITION. IT WAS AN ELECTRIC, SINGLE-AXIS, AILERON CONTROL UNIT THAT DID NOT AFFECT RUDDER CONTROL.
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: flight instructor
- Ratings: multi-engine land; single-engine land; single-engine sea; instructor: airplane multi-engine; instructor: airplane single-engine; instructor: instrument airplane; instrument: airplane
- Flight time: 29,475 hours in all; 5,463 in this make and model; 180 in the last 90 days; 60 in the last 30 days; 16,551 as pilot in command; 18,550 on instruments
- Medical certificate: Class 2 (valid medical--w/ waivers/lim.)
- Seat: rgt
The aircraft
- Last inspection: annual inspection, October 5, 1986; 50 hours since
- Maximum gross weight: 2,700 lb
- Seats: 4
- Landing gear: fixed
- Engine: Continental O-470 (piston); 0 hours total
The flight
- Departed from: APC Napa CA at 10:00 pm
- Destination: CA35
- Flight plan: none
- Runway 22, 2,138 ft by 30 ft
- A second pilot was aboard
Weather at the time
- Light: daylight
- Visibility: 10 statute miles
- Sky: clear
- Temperature: 81°F (27°C), dew point 0°F (-18°C)
- Altimeter: 30.00 inHg
- Observation at 11:00 pm from OAK, 11 miles away
Injuries
| Fatal | Serious | Minor | None | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Crew | 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.