Cessna 172N accident near Brookville, Ohio, October 17, 1987
On October 17, 1987 at about 8:15 pm local time, a Cessna 172N, registered N737WU, was substantially damaged in an accident near Brookville, Ohio (Brookville Air Park airport). It was a personal flight under general aviation rules (Part 91). 1 person was seriously injured and 1 person had minor injuries. 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
- October 17, 1987 · about 8:15 pm local time
- Place
- Brookville, Ohio · Brookville Air Park · map
- Type
- Accident
- Injuries
- 1 person was seriously injured and 1 person had minor injuries.
- Weather
- visual conditions (good weather)
- Aircraft
- Cessna 172N · all 172Ns on the register
- Registration
- N737WU · no longer on the register · serial 17269738
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Personal flight · general aviation rules (Part 91)
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
WHILE ON FINAL APPROACH THE ACFT BEGAN TO FALL BELOW THE FLIGHT PATH THE PLT DESIRED. REMEDIAL ACTIONS WERE INSUFFICIENT TO CORRECT THE DEVIATION. THE ACFT IMPACTED SHORT OF THE RWY AND COLLAPSED THE LANDING GEAR. INVESTIGATION REVEALED THE USE OF 40 DEGREES OF FLAPS INSTEAD OF THE 30 DEGREES USED DURING THE PLT'S TRAINING. THE ACFT WAS OUTFITTED WITH A SET OF CONTROLS THAT ALLOWED THE PLT TO OPERATE THE RUDDER PEDALS BY HAND. THE PLT WAS A PARAPLEGIC AND HAD A REDUCED HEARING ABILITY WHICH SEVERELY RESTRICTED HIS VERBAL COMMUNICATION.
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: 49 hours in all; 49 in this make and model
- Medical certificate: Class 3 (valid medical--w/ waivers/lim.)
- Seat: left
The aircraft
- Last inspection: annual inspection, July 23, 1987; 37 hours since
- Maximum gross weight: 2,300 lb
- Seats: 4
- Landing gear: fixed
- Engine: Lycoming O-320-H2AD (piston); 0 hours total
- Operator: Brookville Air-Park
The flight
- Flight plan: none
- Runway 9, 2,500 ft by 30 ft
Weather at the time
- Light: daylight
- Wind: from 280° at 10 knots
- Visibility: 10 statute miles
- Sky: scat at 4,000 ft
- Temperature: 57°F (14°C), dew point 39°F (4°C)
- Altimeter: 30.00 inHg
- Observation at 8:50 pm from DAY, 10 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.