Cessna 172M accident near Sylva, North Carolina, June 12, 1987
On June 12, 1987 at about 4:55 pm local time, a Cessna 172M, registered N9355H, was substantially damaged in an accident near Sylva, North Carolina (Jackson County airport). It was an instructional 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
- June 12, 1987 · about 4:55 pm local time
- Place
- Sylva, North Carolina · Jackson County · map
- Type
- Accident
- Injuries
- No one was hurt; 2 people were on board or involved.
- Weather
- visual conditions (good weather)
- Aircraft
- Cessna 172M · all 172Ms on the register
- Registration
- N9355H · no longer on the register · serial 17266112
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Instructional flight · general aviation rules (Part 91)
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
THE CFI INSTRUCTED HIS LOW-TIME BEGINNING STUDENT TO MAKE A NORMAL APPCH TO THE RWY, AND FLY DOWN THE RWY AT ABOUT 10 FT ABOVE THE RWY SURFACE WHILE MAINTAINING RWY HDG. THE CFI STATED THAT THE PURPOSE OF THE MANEUVER WAS '...TO HELP THE STUDENT IMPROVE HIS DIRECTIONAL CONTROL AND CORRECT FOR THE CROSS WIND'. THE CFI TOLD THE STUDENT THAT HE WOULD HANDLE THE THROTTLE DURING THE MANEUVER. THE AIRPLANE SUBSEQUENTLY ENCOUNTERED A GUST OF WIND WHILE OVER THE RWY AND ROLLED SHARPLY TO THE RIGHT. THE CFI ASSUMED CONTROL OF THE AIRPLANE AND APPLIED FULL-UP ELEVATOR TO CLEAR A HILL LOCATED ADJACENT TO THE RWY. THE AIRPLANE CONTACTED TREETOPS AS IT CLEARED THE HILL, AND SUBSEQUENTLY SETTLED INTO TREES ON THE OTHER SIDE OF THE HILL.
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: airline transport pilot, flight instructor
- Ratings: multi-engine land; single-engine land; instructor: airplane multi-engine; instructor: airplane single-engine; instructor: instrument airplane; instrument: airplane
- Flight time: 19,000 hours in all; 4,000 in this make and model; 340 in the last 90 days; 15,000 as pilot in command
- Medical certificate: Class 1 (valid medical--w/ waivers/lim.)
- Seat: rgt
The aircraft
- Airframe total time: 3,250 hours
- Last inspection: annual inspection, April 7, 1987; 63 hours since
- Maximum gross weight: 2,300 lb
- Seats: 4
- Landing gear: fixed
- Engine: Lycoming O-320-E2D (piston); 0 hours total
The flight
- Flight plan: none
- Runway 32, 2,900 ft by 50 ft
- A second pilot was aboard
Weather at the time
- Light: daylight
- Wind: from 230° at 5 knots, gusting 12
- Visibility: 10 statute miles
- Sky: scat
- Temperature: 0°F (-18°C), dew point 0°F (-18°C)
Injuries
| Fatal | Serious | Minor | None | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Crew | 2 |
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.