- Date
- September 25, 1986, 18:10 local (23:10 UTC)
- Place
- Yantley, AL
- Injuries
- 1 fatal
- Damage
- Destroyed
- Phase of flight
- Enroute
- Aircraft
- N3757ZCessna A-37A
- Weather
- Visual (VMC) · Day
- Status
- Completed
- Report
- Approved by Office Director
- FAA report
- 19860925046299A
- Case key
- 6968
From the NTSB’s public API. By law, NTSB reports can’t be used as evidence in lawsuits over the accident.
On this page
Sequence of events
NTSB’s coding before 2008: each occurrence and phase of flight, and the causes and factors under it. The codes are defined in NTSB’s coding manual.
Analysis
The plt had just purchased the acft which had an experimental airworthiness certificate. During a preflt wx briefing, he was advised of towering cumulus clouds along his route. After takeoff, he initiated a climb to FL 240 & leveled off aprx 10 min later. After another 7 min, the plt transmitted 'N3757Z, I'm in trouble!' Shortly thereafter, radio & radar contact with the acft were lost. A military acft was diverted to the area & the crash site was located. An exam of the wreckage revealed the acft had impacted in a steep nose down, wings level attitude. No preimpact part failure or malfunction was fnd. Flt crews of other acft rprtd there was heavy wx activity in the vicinity of the acdnt.
Aircraft
- Registration
- N3757Z
- Reported as
- Cessna A-37A
- Category
- Airplane
- Serial number
- 67-14537
- Airframe hours
- 1,400
- Engine
- GE J-85-GE-5A, 2,850 lbs thrust, turbo jet
- Damage
- Destroyed
- Fire
- On-Ground
- Flight
- Ferry · Part 91
- Operator
- Thunderbird Aviation Inc.
- Registered owner
- Wendy'S Of Austin
- Airworthiness certificate
- Special, Experimental (Special)
- Departed
- TOI · Troy, AL
- Destination
- ADS · Addison, TX
- Flight plan
- IFR
Matched to the registry by N-number and the event date; the registry’s history has gaps, so older matches can be wrong. Compare the reported make and model.
Flight crew
As NTSB recorded them. NTSB leaves out names.
- Role
- Pilot
- Age
- 49
- Certificate
- Commercial
- Airplane ratings
- Single-engine land, Multi-engine land
- Instrument ratings
- Airplane
- Medical
- Class 2, Valid Medical--w/ waivers/lim
- Seat
- Left
- Toxicology
- Performed
- Flight hours
- 2,400 total
Weather
- Conditions
- Visual (VMC) · Day
- Wind
- 140° at 5 knots
- Visibility
- 7 statute miles
- Lowest ceiling
- 25,000 ft broken
- Temperature
- 90 °F, dew point 75 °F
- Altimeter
- 30.00 inHg
- Observed at
- 28 nm away
FAA reports on this event · 1
The FAA’s own accident and incident reports, matched to the aircraft by N-number and date.