- Date
- April 7, 1986, 08:25 local (14:25 UTC)
- Place
- St Paul, MN
- Injuries
- 2 minor
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Phase of flight
- Enroute
- Aircraft
- N9538BCessna 172-RG II
- Weather
- Visual (VMC) · Day
- Status
- Completed · report April 25, 1988
- Report
- Approved by Office Director
- FAA report
- 19860407010109A
- Case key
- 13444
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
During climbout after t.o. and passing thru 4000 ft smoke began to enter the cabin. Plt declared an emergency and turned toward arpt. Eng then began to shake violently. Acft was cleared to ld but plt continued to a point four mi past base leg, attempted to fly under but struck a hi power line. Plt elected to ld gear down in soft soil and during roll out nose gear collapsed.
Aircraft
- Registration
- N9538B
- Reported as
- Cessna 172-RG II
- Category
- Airplane
- Serial number
- 172RG0864
- Airframe hours
- 1,332
- Engine
- Lycoming O-360-FIAG, 180 horsepower, reciprocating
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Business · Part 91
- Registered owner
- Wings Inc. (James T. Bentham)
- Airworthiness certificate
- Standard, Normal
- Departed
- STP · St. Paul, MN
- Destination
- FFM · Fergus Falls, MN
- Flight plan
- IFR
- Airport
- STP · St. Paul Downtown
Flight crew
As NTSB recorded them. NTSB leaves out names.
- Role
- Pilot
- Age
- 51
- Certificates
- Flight instructor, Commercial
- Airplane ratings
- Multi-engine land, Single-engine land
- Instrument ratings
- Airplane
- Medical
- Class 2, Valid Medical--w/ waivers/lim
- Seat
- Left
- Flight hours
- 1,148 total · 370 in this make and model · 721 as pilot in command · 24 in the last 90 days
Weather
- Conditions
- Visual (VMC) · Day
- Wind
- 300° at 16 knots
- Visibility
- 20 statute miles
- Lowest ceiling
- None
- Altimeter
- 29.00 inHg
- Observed at
- STP, 4 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.