UNITED STATES
                       SECURITIES AND EXCHANGE COMMISSION
                             WASHINGTON, D. C. 20549


                                    FORM 10-Q


    / x /        Quarterly Report Pursuant to Section 13 or 15(d)
                     of the Securities Exchange Act of 1934

                  For the quarterly period ended March 31, 1997

                                       or

    /   /       Transition Report Pursuant to Section 13 or 15(d)
                     of the Securities Exchange Act of 1934
                For the transition period from _______ to _______

                          Commission File No. 33-3353C


                           PARKER & PARSLEY 86-C, LTD.
             (Exact name of Registrant as specified in its charter)


                Texas                                        75-2142283
    (State or other jurisdiction of                       (I.R.S. Employer
    incorporation or organization)                     Identification Number)

303 West Wall, Suite 101, Midland, Texas                        79701
(Address of principal executive offices)                      (Zip code)

       Registrant's Telephone Number, including area code : (915) 683-4768


                                 Not applicable
              (Former name, former address and former fiscal year,
                         if changed since last report)


Indicate by check mark whether the Registrant (1) has filed all reports required
to be filed by Section 13 or 15(d) of the Securities Exchange Act of 1934 during
the  preceding 12 months (or for such  shorter  period that the  Registrant  was
required  to file  such  reports),  and  (2) has  been  subject  to such  filing
requirements for the past 90 days.

                                Yes / x / No / /

                               Page 1 of 10 pages.

                             -There are no exhibits-






                           PARKER & PARSLEY 86-C, LTD.

                                TABLE OF CONTENTS


                                                                       Page
                          Part I. Financial Information

Item 1.    Financial Statements

           Balance Sheets as of March 31, 1997 and
             December 31, 1996.......................................    3

           Statements of Operations for the three months
             ended March 31, 1997 and 1996...........................    4

           Statement of Partners' Capital for the three months
             ended March 31, 1997....................................    5

           Statements of Cash Flows for the three months
             ended March 31, 1997 and 1996...........................    6

           Notes to Financial Statements.............................    7

Item 2.    Management's Discussion and Analysis of Financial
             Condition and Results of Operations.....................    7



                           Part II. Other Information

Item 6.    Exhibits and Reports on Form 8-K..........................    9

           27.    Financial Data Schedule

           Signatures................................................   10


                                        2





                           PARKER & PARSLEY 86-C, LTD.
                          (A Texas Limited Partnership)

                          Part I. Financial Information

Item 1.   Financial Statements

                                 BALANCE SHEETS
                                                     March 31,     December 31,
                                                       1997            1996
                                                   ------------    ------------
                                                   (Unaudited)
                       ASSETS

Current assets:
  Cash and cash equivalents, including interest
     bearing deposits of $247,171 at March 31
     and $193,384 at December 31                   $    247,678    $    205,207
  Accounts receivable - oil and gas sales               196,893         265,255
                                                    -----------     -----------
          Total current assets                          444,571         470,462
                                                    -----------     -----------
Oil and gas properties - at cost, based on the
  successful efforts accounting method               14,552,023      14,551,413
Accumulated depletion                               (10,921,660)    (10,828,428)
                                                    -----------     -----------
          Net oil and gas properties                  3,630,363       3,722,985
                                                    -----------     -----------
                                                   $  4,074,934    $  4,193,447
                                                    ===========     ===========

LIABILITIES AND PARTNERS' CAPITAL

Current liabilities:
  Accounts payable - affiliate                     $     93,502    $    104,535

Partners' capital:
  Managing general partner                               38,506          39,581
  Limited partners (19,317 interests)                 3,942,926       4,049,331
                                                    -----------     -----------
                                                      3,981,432       4,088,912
                                                    -----------     -----------
                                                   $  4,074,934    $  4,193,447
                                                    ===========     ===========


  The financial information included as of March 31, 1997 has been prepared by
           management without audit by independent public accountants.

   The accompanying notes are an integral part of these financial statements.

                                        3





                           PARKER & PARSLEY 86-C, LTD.
                          (A Texas Limited Partnership)

                            STATEMENTS OF OPERATIONS
                                   (Unaudited)

                                                      Three months ended
                                                           March 31,
                                                   --------------------------
                                                      1997            1996
                                                   ----------      ----------
Revenues:
  Oil and gas                                      $  423,075      $  390,535
  Interest                                              3,039           1,306
  Salvage income from equipment disposals              14,656          28,740
                                                    ---------       ---------
                                                      440,770         420,581
                                                    ---------       ---------
Costs and expenses:
  Oil and gas production                              188,198         227,200
  General and administrative                           12,692          11,716
  Depletion                                            93,232          97,143
  Abandoned property                                      -            21,351
                                                    ---------       ---------
                                                      294,122         357,410
                                                    ---------       ---------
Net income                                         $  146,648      $   63,171
                                                    =========       =========
Allocation of net income:
  Managing general partner                         $    1,466      $      632
                                                    =========       =========
  Limited partners                                 $  145,182      $   62,539
                                                    =========       =========
Net income per limited partnership interest        $     7.52      $     3.24
                                                    =========       =========
Distributions per limited partnership interest     $    13,02      $     5.98
                                                    =========       =========




         The financial information included herein has been prepared by
           management without audit by independent public accountants.

   The accompanying notes are an integral part of these financial statements.

                                        4





                           PARKER & PARSLEY 86-C, LTD.
                          (A Texas Limited Partnership)

                         STATEMENT OF PARTNERS' CAPITAL
                                   (Unaudited)



                                      Managing
                                      general       Limited
                                      partner       partners          Total
                                     ---------     -----------     -----------

Balance at January 1, 1997           $  39,581     $ 4,049,331     $ 4,088,912

  Distributions                         (2,541)       (251,587)       (254,128)

  Net income                             1,466         145,182         146,648
                                      --------      ----------      ----------

Balance at March 31, 1997            $  38,506     $ 3,942,926     $ 3,981,432
                                      ========      ==========      ==========







         The financial information included herein has been prepared by
           management without audit by independent public accountants.

   The accompanying notes are an integral part of these financial statements.

                                        5





                           PARKER & PARSLEY 86-C, LTD.
                          (A Texas Limited Partnership)

                            STATEMENTS OF CASH FLOWS
                                   (Unaudited)



                                                        Three months ended
                                                             March 31,
                                                     --------------------------
                                                        1997           1996
                                                     -----------    -----------
Cash flows from operating activities:
  Net income                                         $   146,648    $    63,171
  Adjustments to reconcile net income to net
    cash provided by operating activities:
       Depletion                                          93,232         97,143
       Salvage income from equipment disposals           (14,656)       (28,740)
  Changes in assets and liabilities:
    (Increase) decrease in accounts receivable            68,362        (24,646)
    Increase (decrease) in accounts payable               (9,619)        22,229
                                                      ----------     ----------
        Net cash provided by operating activities        283,967        129,157
                                                      ----------     ----------
Cash flows from investing activities:
 Proceeds from salvage income on equipment
   disposals                                              14,656         28,740
 Additions to oil and gas properties                      (2,024)       (27,103)
                                                      ----------     ----------
    Net cash provided by investing activities             12,632          1,637
                                                      ----------     ----------
Cash flows from financing activities:
  Cash distributions to partners                        (254,128)      (116,676)
                                                      ----------     ----------
Net increase in cash and cash equivalents                 42,471         14,118
Cash and cash equivalents at beginning of period         205,207         73,796
                                                      ----------     ----------
Cash and cash equivalents at end of period           $   247,678    $    87,914
                                                      ==========     ==========



         The financial information included herein has been prepared by
           management without audit by independent public accountants.

   The accompanying notes are an integral part of these financial statements.

                                        6





                           PARKER & PARSLEY 86-C, LTD.
                          (A Texas Limited Partnership)

                          NOTES TO FINANCIAL STATEMENTS
                                 March 31, 1997
                                   (Unaudited)

Note 1.     Organization and nature of operations

Parker &  Parsley  86-C,  Ltd.  (the  "Partnership")  is a  limited  partnership
organized in 1986 under the laws of the State of Texas.

The Partnership  engages  primarily in oil and gas development and production in
Texas and is not involved in any industry segment other than oil and gas.

Note 2.     Basis of presentation

In the opinion of management, the unaudited financial statements as of March 31,
1997 of the Partnership  include all adjustments and accruals consisting only of
normal recurring accrual adjustments which are necessary for a fair presentation
of the results for the interim  period.  However,  these interim results are not
necessarily indicative of results for a full year.

The  financial  statements  should  be read in  conjunction  with the  financial
statements and the notes thereto contained in the  Partnership's  Report on Form
10-K for the year ended  December 31,  1996,  as filed with the  Securities  and
Exchange  Commission,  a copy of which is  available  upon request by writing to
Steven L. Beal, Senior Vice President,  303 West Wall, Suite 101, Midland, Texas
79701.

Item 2.     Management's Discussion and Analysis of Financial Condition
              and Results of Operations (1)

Results of Operations

Revenues:

The Partnership's  oil and gas revenues  increased to $423,075 from $390,535 for
the three months ended March 31, 1997 and 1996,  an increase of 8%. The increase
in revenues  resulted  from a 16%  increase in the average  price  received  per
barrel of oil and a 37% increase in the average  price  received per mcf of gas,
offset by an 8% decline in barrels of oil  produced  and sold and an 18% decline
in mcf of gas  produced  and sold.  For the three  months  ended March 31, 1997,
12,391  barrels of oil were sold compared to 13,477 for the same period in 1996,
a decrease of 1,086 barrels.  For the three months ended March 31, 1997,  53,097
mcf of gas were sold  compared to 64,863 for the same period in 1996, a decrease
of 11,766 mcf. The  decreases in  production  volumes were  primarily due to the
decline characteristics of the Partnership's oil and gas properties.  Because of
these  characteristics,  management  expects a  certain  amount  of  decline  in
production  to  continue  in the  future  until the  Partnership's  economically
recoverable reserves are fully depleted.

                                        7






The average price received per barrel of oil increased $2.95 from $18.97 for the
three months  ended March 31, 1996 to $21.92 for the same period in 1997,  while
the average price  received per mcf of gas increased from $2.08 during the three
months  ended March 31,  1996 to $2.85 for the same  period in 1997.  The market
price  for oil and gas has  been  extremely  volatile  in the  past  decade  and
management expects a certain amount of volatility to continue in the foreseeable
future.  The Partnership may therefore sell its future oil and gas production at
average prices lower or higher than that received  during the three months ended
March 31, 1997.

Salvage income of $14,656 and $28,740 was received during the three months ended
March  31,  1997  and  1996,  respectively,  from  the  disposal  of oil and gas
equipment on two fully depleted wells.

Costs and Expenses:

Total costs and expenses  decreased to $294,122 for the three months ended March
31,  1997 as compared  to  $357,410  for the same period in 1996,  a decrease of
$63,288,  or  18%.  This  decrease  was due to  declines  in  production  costs,
depletion and  abandoned  property  costs,  offset by an increase in general and
administrative expenses ("G&A").

Production  costs were  $188,198  for the three  months ended March 31, 1997 and
$227,200 for the same period in 1996,  resulting in a $39,002 decrease,  or 17%.
This decrease was due to a decline in well repair and maintenance costs.

G&A's  components are independent  accounting and engineering  fees and managing
general  partner  personnel  and  operating  costs.   During  this  period,  G&A
increased,  in  aggregate,  8% from $11,716 for the three months ended March 31,
1996 to $12,692 for the same period in 1997. The  Partnership  agreement  limits
G&A to 3% of gross oil and gas revenues.

Depletion  was $93,232  for the three  months  ended March 31, 1997  compared to
$97,143 for the same period in 1996. This represented a decrease in depletion of
$3,911, or 4%.

Abandoned  property  costs  during the three months ended March 31, 1996 totaled
$21,351.  These  costs  were  incurred  in  association  with the  plugging  and
abandonment of two uneconomical wells.

Liquidity and Capital Resources

Net Cash Provided by Operating Activities:

Net cash  provided by  operating  activities  increased  $154,810  for the three
months ended March 31, 1997 from the same period in 1996.  This increase was due
to an increase in oil and gas sales receipts and decreases in  expenditures  for
production costs and abandoned property costs paid, offset by an increase in G&A
expenses paid.
                                        8





Net Cash Provided by Investing Activities

The Partnership's  investing  activities during the three months ended March 31,
1997 and 1996 were  related  to  additions  of oil and gas  equipment  on active
properties.

Proceeds of $14,656 and $28,740  received  from salvage  income during the three
months ended March 31, 1997 and 1996,  respectively,  resulted  from the sale of
oil and gas equipment on fully depleted wells.

Net Cash Used in Financing Activities

Cash  was  sufficient  for the  three  months  ended  March  31,  1997 to  cover
distributions  to the partners of $254,128 of which $251,587 was  distributed to
the limited partners and $2,541 to the managing  general  partner.  For the same
period  ended March 31,  1996,  cash was  sufficient  for  distributions  to the
partners of $116,676 of which $115,509 was  distributed to the limited  partners
and $1,167 to the managing general partner.

It is expected  that future net cash  provided by operating  activities  will be
sufficient for any capital expenditures and any distributions. As the production
from the properties declines, distributions are also expected to decrease.

- ---------------

(1)      "Item 2.  Management's  Discussion and Analysis of Financial  Condition
         and Results of Operations"  contains  forward  looking  statements that
         involve risks and  uncertainties.  Accordingly,  no  assurances  can be
         given  that the  actual  events  and  results  will  not be  materially
         different than the anticipated results described in the forward looking
         statements.



                           Part II. Other Information

Item 6.     Exhibits and Reports on Form 8-K

(a)    Exhibits

       27.   Financial Data Schedule

(b)    Reports on Form 8-K - none


                                        9




                           PARKER & PARSLEY 86-C, LTD.
                          (A Texas Limited Partnership)



                               S I G N A T U R E S



       Pursuant to the requirements of the Securities  Exchange Act of 1934, the
Registrant  has duly  caused  this  report  to be  signed  on its  behalf by the
undersigned thereunto duly authorized.


                                    PARKER & PARSLEY 86-C, LTD.

                               By:  Parker & Parsley Development L.P.,
                                     Managing General Partner

                                    By:   Parker & Parsley Petroleum USA, Inc.
                                          ("PPUSA"), General Partner




Dated:  May 12, 1997           By:    /s/ Steven L. Beal
                                    --------------------------------------
                                    Steven L. Beal, Senior Vice President
                                     and Chief Financial Officer of PPUSA


                                       10