Cessna 172A accident near Dayton, Ohio, November 15, 1987
On November 15, 1987 at about 10:15 pm local time, a Cessna 172A, registered N7623T, was substantially damaged in an accident near Dayton, Ohio (Moraine Air Park 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
- November 15, 1987 · about 10:15 pm local time
- Place
- Dayton, Ohio · Moraine Air Park · map
- Type
- Accident
- Injuries
- No one was hurt; 2 people were on board or involved.
- Weather
- visual conditions (good weather)
- Aircraft
- Cessna 172A · all 172As on the register
- Registration
- N7623T · registry record · serial 47223
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Personal flight · general aviation rules (Part 91)
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
THE PLT RPTD THAT THE ENGINE BEGAN TO SPUTTER AND LOSE POWER SHORTLY AFTER TAKEOFF. A FORCED LDG WAS SUBSEQUENTLY MADE IN A NEARBY RIVER. THE ACFT NOSED OVER ON LDG AND CAME TO REST PARTIALLY SUBMERGED IN ABOUT 4 FEET OF WATER. POST-CRASH EXAM OF THE AIRPLANE AFTER IT WAS RECOVERED FROM THE RIVER REVEALED NO EVIDENCE OF PRE-EXISTING MECHANICAL FAILURE OR MALFUNCTION. THE ENGINE RAN SATISFACTORILY ON FUEL REMAINING IN THE ACFT FUEL TANKS, AFTER WATER WAS DRAINED FROM THE FUEL SYSTEM AND ENGINE. THERE WERE EXTENSIVE RAIN SHOWERS IN THE AREA. THE AIRCRAFT WAS BEING OPERATED IN CONDITIONS CONDUCIVE TO CARBURETOR ICE.
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: 168 hours in all; 51 in this make and model; 1 in the last 90 days; 108 as pilot in command
- Medical certificate: Class 3 (valid medical--no waivers/lim.)
- Seat: left
The aircraft
- Airframe total time: 3,910 hours
- Last inspection: annual inspection, October 14, 1987; 43 hours since
- Maximum gross weight: 2,200 lb
- Seats: 4
- Landing gear: fixed
- Engine: Continental O-300 (piston); 0 hours total
The flight
- Flight plan: none
- Runway 0
Weather at the time
- Light: daylight
- Wind: from 140° at 8 knots
- Visibility: 15 statute miles
- Sky: ovct at 25,000 ft
- Temperature: 61°F (16°C), dew point 25°F (-4°C)
- Altimeter: 30.00 inHg
- Observation at 9:50 pm from DAY, 12 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.