Cessna 170B accident near Upper Sandusky, Ohio, July 11, 1987
On July 11, 1987 at about 6:00 pm local time, a Cessna 170B, registered N3142A, was substantially damaged in an accident near Upper Sandusky, Ohio (Wyandot County airport). It was a personal flight under general aviation rules (Part 91). No one was hurt; 2 people were on board or involved. The weather was visual conditions (good weather).
The NTSB's probable cause their words, unchanged
The NTSB has not yet published a probable cause for this accident. Investigations usually take one to two years; this page updates when the final report is released.
Source: NTSB aviation accident database, copy made October 5, 2026. Docket and reports at the NTSB.
What the record shows
- Date
- July 11, 1987 · about 6:00 pm local time
- Place
- Upper Sandusky, Ohio · Wyandot County · map
- Type
- Accident
- Injuries
- No one was hurt; 2 people were on board or involved.
- Weather
- visual conditions (good weather)
- Aircraft
- Cessna 170B · all 170Bs on the register
- Registration
- N3142A · registry record · serial 25786
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Personal flight · general aviation rules (Part 91)
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
DURING TAKEOFF ATTEMPT FROM RUNWAY 36 THE AIRCRAFT VEERED TO THE LEFT ABOUT 250 FEET FROM THE RUNWAY THRESHOLD AND CONTACTED THE GROUND. THE PILOT REPORTED THAT A CROSSWIND CAUGHT HIM OFF GUARD. WEATHER INFORMATION OBTAINED FROM FINDLAY FLIGHT SERVICE STATION, 18 NAUTICAL MILES FROM THE ACCIDENT SCENE, REPORTED THE WIND FROM 260 DEGREES AT 12 KNOTS.
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
Pilot
- Certificate: private
- Ratings: single-engine land
- Flight time: 143 hours in all; 71 in this make and model; 21 in the last 90 days; 11 in the last 30 days; 113 as pilot in command
- Medical certificate: Class 3 (valid medical--w/ waivers/lim.)
- Seat: left
The aircraft
- Airframe total time: 3,751 hours
- Last inspection: annual inspection, May 9, 1987; 85 hours since
- Maximum gross weight: 2,200 lb
- Seats: 4
- Landing gear: fixed
- Engine: Continental O-300-B (piston); 0 hours total
The flight
- Destination: Y85 Hillsdale MI
- Flight plan: none
- Runway 36, 4,000 ft by 75 ft
Weather at the time
- Light: daylight
- Wind: from 260° at 12 knots
- Visibility: 12 statute miles
- Sky: broken clouds at 5,000 ft; not recorded
- Temperature: 79°F (26°C), dew point 66°F (19°C)
- Altimeter: 30.00 inHg
- Observation at 6:00 pm from FDY, 18 miles away
Injuries
| Fatal | Serious | Minor | None | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Crew | 1 | |||
| Passengers | 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.