NTSB LAX86LA217 — 1986-05-13 · THERMAL, California, United States

Current FAA registration · N734TE

Make / Model: CESSNA 172N
Year of manufacture: 1977 · 9 years old at event
Engine: LYCOMING 0-320 SERIES (180 hp)
Seats / Engines: 4 seats · 1 engine
Last airworthiness date: 19770506
ADS-B equipped: Yes — Mode-S A9DB95

Source: FAA Aircraft Registry (releasable master file).

Aircraft involved

N734TE Cessna 172N None

Factual narrative

THE STUDENT PILOT WAS RETURNING TO THERMAL AIRPORT, THERMAL, CA AFTER COMPLETING A ROUND ROBIN SOLO CROSS COUNTRY FLIGHT. WHILE LANDING ON RUNWAY 30 THE STUDENT ENCOUNTERED A 90 DEGREE RIGHT CROSSWIND AND LOST CONTROL OF THE AIRPLANE. THE AIRPLANE EXITED THE END OF THE RUNWAY AND NOSED OVER. THE STUDENT PILOT REPORTED THAT THE BRAKE SYSTEM FAILED. THE POST-ACCIDENT EXAMINATION OF THE BRAKE SYSTEM DISCLOSED NO EVIDENCE OF ANY PRE-EXISTING MALFUNCTIONS AND/OR FAILURES. Source: NTSB Aviation Accident Database (Pre-2008 Archive) Retrieved: 2026-02-12

Verbatim from NTSB's published report. Source file NTSB_1986_LAX86LA217.txt. Findings + structured fields enriched from FAA avall.mdb. Full investigation docket on data.ntsb.gov ↗.

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