Cessna 172M accident near Raleigh, North Carolina, July 14, 1987
On July 14, 1987 at about 12:47 pm local time, a Cessna 172M, registered N80929, was destroyed in an accident near Raleigh, North Carolina (Raleigh-Durham airport). It was a personal flight under general aviation rules (Part 91). 2 people were seriously injured. 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 14, 1987 · about 12:47 pm local time
- Place
- Raleigh, North Carolina · Raleigh-Durham · map
- Type
- Accident
- Injuries
- 2 people were seriously injured.
- Weather
- visual conditions (good weather)
- Aircraft
- Cessna 172M · all 172Ms on the register
- Registration
- N80929 · no longer on the register · serial 172M66805
- Damage
- Destroyed
- Flight
- Personal flight · general aviation rules (Part 91)
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
THE PILOT WAS VECTORED FOR LANDING ON RUNWAY 23R BEHIND A BOEING 727. THE APPROACH CONTROLLER ADVISED THE PILOT THAT HE COULD LAND ON 23L IF HE PREFERRED BUT THE PILOT ELECTED TO CONTINUE WITH THE APPROACH TO 23R. THE TOWER CONTROLLER CLEARED THE FLIGHT TO LAND ON 23R AND ISSUED THE REMINDER 'CAUTION WAKE TURBULENCE'. THE FLIGHT ENCOUNTERED WAKE TURBULENCE WHEN OVER THE RUNWAY IN THE LANDING CONFIGURATION AND THE AIRCRAFT WAS FLIPPED INVERTED BEFORE IT CRASHED. SURFACE WINDS WERE FROM 250 DEGREES AT 4 KNOTS VELOCITY.
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: multi-engine land; single-engine land; instrument: airplane
- Flight time: 1,200 hours in all; 650 in this make and model; 30 in the last 90 days
- Medical certificate: Class 2 (valid medical--no waivers/lim.)
- Seat: left
The aircraft
- Airframe total time: 3,584 hours
- Last inspection: annual inspection, August 28, 1986; 308 hours since
- Maximum gross weight: 2,300 lb
- Seats: 4
- Landing gear: fixed
- Engine: Lycoming O-320 (piston); 0 hours total
The flight
- Departed from: 8A6 Charlotte NC at 11:45 am
- Flight plan: none
- Runway 23R, 10,000 ft by 150 ft
Weather at the time
- Light: daylight
- Wind: from 250° at 4 knots
- Visibility: 7 statute miles
- Temperature: 73°F (23°C), dew point 70°F (21°C)
- Altimeter: 29.00 inHg
- Observation at 1:08 pm from RDU
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.