Cessna 172 accident near Lebanon, Oregon, October 12, 1985
On October 12, 1985 at about 7:15 pm local time, a Cessna 172, registered N5790J, was substantially damaged in an accident near Lebanon, Oregon (Albany Municipal airport). It was a personal flight under general aviation rules (Part 91). No one was hurt; 1 person was 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 12, 1985 · about 7:15 pm local time
- Place
- Lebanon, Oregon · Albany Municipal · map
- Type
- Accident
- Injuries
- No one was hurt; 1 person was on board or involved.
- Weather
- visual conditions (good weather)
- Aircraft
- Cessna 172 · all 172s on the register
- Registration
- N5790J · no longer on the register · serial 17273836
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Personal flight · general aviation rules (Part 91)
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
A LOSS OF DIRECTIONAL CONTROL OCCURRED DURING LANDING ROLL. THE ACFT VEERED TO THE RIGHT, STRUCK A DITCH AND THEN NOSED OVER. A HELICOPTER WAS HOVERING TO THE LEFT OF THE LANDING RWY, PROBABLY CAUSING ENOUGH WAKE TURBULENCE TO CAUSE THE LOSS OF DIRECTIONAL CONTROL. LIGHT AND VARIABLE WINDS WERE ALSO PRESENT.
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: student
- Ratings: single-engine land
- Medical certificate: Class 2
- 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-H2AD (piston); 0 hours total
The flight
- Departed from: EUG Eugene OR at 6:26 pm
- Destination: S12 Albany OR
- Flight plan: none
- Runway 34, 3,000 ft by 75 ft
Weather at the time
- Light: daylight
- Wind: from 320° at 3 knots
- Visibility: 20 statute miles
- Sky: broken clouds at 4,600 ft; scat at 2,000 ft
- Temperature: 55°F (13°C), dew point 0°F (-18°C)
Injuries
| Fatal | Serious | Minor | None | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Crew | 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.