Cessna 401 accident near S. Lake Tahoe, California, January 27, 1986
On January 27, 1986 at about 3:20 pm local time, a Cessna 401, registered N988JM, was destroyed in an accident near S. Lake Tahoe, California. It was a business flight under general aviation rules (Part 91). 3 people were killed. 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 27, 1986 · about 3:20 pm local time
- Place
- S. Lake Tahoe, California
- Type
- Accident
- Injuries
- 3 people were killed.
- Weather
- visual conditions (good weather)
- Aircraft
- Cessna 401 · all 401s on the register
- Registration
- N988JM · no longer on the register · serial 0305
- Damage
- Destroyed
- Flight
- Business flight · general aviation rules (Part 91)
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
ACFT TOOK OFF IN CLEAR WX BUT BELOW-FREEZING TEMPS WITH HEAVY FROST ON ACFT SURFACES. NO PREFLIGHT, RUN-UP OR WARM-UP PERFORMED. ON INITIAL CLIMB, LEFT ENG POWER LOSS OCCURRED FOR UNDET REASON, BUT PROBABLY ASSOCIATED WITH TEMP/COLD ENG OPERATION. PLT TURNED INTO DEAD ENGINE IN APPARENT COURSE REVERSAL, FAILED TO FEATHER PROPELLER AND LOWERED LNDG GEAR DURING TURN. ACFT STALLED, ROLLED INVERTED AND CRASHED INTO RESIDENTIAL AREA. ENGINE TEARDOWN REVEALED NO MECHNICAL DEFECTS. POST-MORTEM AND TOX TESTS REVEALED NO PHYSIOLOGICAL IMPAIRMENT.
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: multi-engine land; single-engine land
- Flight time: 4,400 hours in all; 35 in the last 90 days
- Medical certificate: Class 2 (valid medical--w/ waivers/lim.)
- Seat: left
The aircraft
- Airframe total time: 5,860 hours
- Last inspection: annual inspection, April 4, 1985
- Maximum gross weight: 6,200 lb
- Seats: 8
- Landing gear: retractable
- Engine: Continental TSIO-520-E (piston); 0 hours total
- Fire on the ground
The flight
- Departed from: TVL S. Lake Tahoe CA at 3:20 pm
- Destination: SGU St. George UT
- Flight plan: none
- Runway 0
Weather at the time
- Light: daylight
- Visibility: 40 statute miles
- Sky: broken clouds at 25,000 ft; scat at 7,000 ft
- Temperature: 21°F (-6°C), dew point 21°F (-6°C)
- Observation at 7:50 am from TVL, 2 miles away
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.