Cessna 172 accident near Des Moines, Iowa, January 12, 1986
On January 12, 1986 at about 8:25 pm local time, a Cessna 172, registered N8036B, was substantially damaged in an accident near Des Moines, Iowa (Des Moines Muni 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
- January 12, 1986 · about 8:25 pm local time
- Place
- Des Moines, Iowa · Des Moines Muni
- Type
- Accident
- Injuries
- No one was hurt; 2 people were on board or involved.
- Weather
- visual conditions (good weather)
- Aircraft
- Cessna 172 · all 172s on the register
- Registration
- N8036B · registry record · serial 29836
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Personal flight · general aviation rules (Part 91)
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
N8036B DIVERTED TO DES MOINES FOR FUEL AFTER ENCOUNTERING STRONG HEAD WINDS ENROUTE. AFTER LANDING ON RWY 30R THE PLT TURNED OFF THE RWY ONTO A TAXIWAY THAT RUNS TO THE NORTH. THE PLT THEN STOPPED TO CHANGE RADIO FREQUENCIES. WHILE THE ACFT WAS STOPPED A STRONG GUST FROM THE NW ESTIMATED TO BE 40 TO 45 KTS, LIFTED THE LEFT WING AND TAIL. AS THE ACFT NOSED DOWN THE PROP AND RIGHT WING CONTACTED THE TAXIWAY RESULTING IN SUBSTANTIAL DAMAGE TO THE 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: 324 hours in all; 278 in this make and model; 10 in the last 90 days; 294 as pilot in command
- Medical certificate: Class 3 (valid medical--no waivers/lim.)
- Seat: left
The aircraft
- Airframe total time: 5,734 hours
- Last inspection: annual inspection, February 14, 1985; 75 hours since
- Maximum gross weight: 2,200 lb
- Seats: 4
- Landing gear: fixed
- Engine: Continental O-300-A (piston); 0 hours total
The flight
- Departed from: CSQ Creston IA at 7:30 pm
- Flight plan: none
- Runway 30R, 9,001 ft by 150 ft
Weather at the time
- Light: daylight
- Wind: from 310° at 29 knots, gusting 40
- Visibility: 30 statute miles
- Sky: broken clouds at 2,800 ft; not recorded
- Temperature: 36°F (2°C), dew point 21°F (-6°C)
- Altimeter: 30.00 inHg
- Observation at 8:50 pm from DSM
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.