Cessna 172M accident near Laytonville, California, June 6, 2014
On June 6, 2014 at about 2:23 am local time, a 1976 Cessna 172M, registered N1186U, was substantially damaged in an accident during maneuvering (low-alt flying) near Laytonville, California. It was a personal flight under general aviation rules (Part 91). 1 person was killed. The weather was visual conditions (good weather).
The NTSB's probable cause their words, unchanged
The pilot’s impairment due to alcohol ingestion, which resulted in his failure to maintain clearance from trees during a low-altitude flyby.
Source: NTSB aviation accident database, copy made October 5, 2026. Docket and reports at the NTSB.
What the record shows
- Date
- June 6, 2014 · about 2:23 am local time
- Place
- Laytonville, California · map
- Type
- Accident
- Injuries
- 1 person was killed.
- Weather
- visual conditions (good weather)
- Aircraft
- Cessna 172M, built 1976 · all 172Ms on the register
- Registration
- N1186U · no longer on the register · serial 17266887
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Personal flight · general aviation rules (Part 91)
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
The private pilot was conducting a local personal flight. Witnesses reported that they observed the airplane making several low passes over an open field. During the last pass, they observed the airplane's right wing contact a tree and then separate from the airplane. The airplane subsequently came to rest in a wooded area. According to the autopsy report, the pilot had coronary artery maximum occlusion of 50 percent, and there was no evidence of preexisting heart muscle scarring. This amount of occlusion likely would not have caused acute symptoms and would not have impaired the pilot's judgment; therefore, the pilot's coronary artery disease likely did not impair his ability to operate the airplane or contribute to the accident. Toxicology reports identified ethanol in the pilot's heart blood, iliac blood, vitreous, and urine. The distribution of the ethanol in the pilot's tissue was consistent with ingestion, not postmortem production. Although there was some variation, all of the pilot's tissues tested positive for ethanol well above 0.040 gram per deciliter, which indicates that the pilot had ingested sufficient ethanol to impair his ability to safety operate the airplane.
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
What happened, in order
- Low altitude operation/event during maneuvering (low-alt flying) defining event
The NTSB's findings
- cause Personnel issues › Physical › Impairment/incapacitation › Alcohol › Pilot
- cause Aircraft › Aircraft oper/perf/capability › Performance/control parameters › Altitude › Not attained/maintained
- cause Environmental issues › Physical environment › Object/animal/substance › Tree(s) › Awareness of condition
- cause Personnel issues › Psychological › Attention/monitoring › Monitoring environment › Pilot
Pilot
- Certificate: private
- Ratings: single-engine land
- Flight time: 590 hours in all
- Medical certificate: Class 3 (with waivers/limitations)
- Seat: left
- Injury: fatal
The aircraft
- Maximum gross weight: 2,299 lb
- Seats: 4
- Landing gear: fixed
- Engine: Lycoming O-360-A4M (piston); 0 hours total
The flight
- Departed from: Laytonville CA
- Destination: Laytonville CA
- Flight plan: none
Weather at the time
- Light: daylight
- Wind: from 330° at 6 knots
- Visibility: 10 statute miles
- Sky: clear
- Temperature: 91°F (33°C), dew point 32°F (0°C)
- Altimeter: 29.73 inHg
- Observation at 1:56 am from KUKI
Injuries
| Fatal | Serious | Minor | None | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Flight 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.