Cessna 172H accident near Paducah, Kentucky, December 1, 1987
On December 1, 1987 at about 5:38 am local time, a Cessna 172H, registered N2522L, was substantially damaged in an accident near Paducah, Kentucky (Farrington Airpark airport). It was a personal flight under general aviation rules (Part 91). 1 person had minor injuries; 1 other was unhurt. 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
- December 1, 1987 · about 5:38 am local time
- Place
- Paducah, Kentucky · Farrington Airpark · map
- Type
- Accident
- Injuries
- 1 person had minor injuries; 1 other was unhurt.
- Weather
- visual conditions (good weather)
- Aircraft
- Cessna 172H · all 172Hs on the register
- Registration
- N2522L · no longer on the register · serial 17255722
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Personal flight · general aviation rules (Part 91)
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
ABT 20 MI FROM PADUCAH (PAH), THE PLT CONTACTED THE FSS & SAID THE ACFT WAS LOW ON FUEL & THAT HE INTENDED TO LAND AT PAH. HE WAS INFORMED THAT THE FBO AT PAH WAS CLOSED FOR THE NIGHT & FUEL WAS AVAILABLE ONLY IF A $25 CALL-OUT FEE WAS PAID. ALSO, HE WAS TOLD THAT FUEL WAS AVAILABLE AT NEARBY FARRINGTON AIRPARK (KY29) & THAT IT WAS OPEN FROM SUNSET TO SUNRISE. THE PLT ELECTED TO CONT TO KY29, WHICH WAS ABOUT 12 MI BEYOND PAH. HE SAW THE ARPT BEACON, BUT WAS UNABLE TO SEE THE RWY. AS HE WAS MANEUVERING TO FIND THE RWY, THE ENG LOST PWR FROM FUEL EXHAUSTION. SUBSEQUENTLY, THE ACFT WAS LANDED IN TREES & CAME TO REST NOSE DOWN ABOVE THE TERRAIN. AN INVESTIGATION REVEALED THE RWY LIGHTING HRS AT KY29 HAD BEEN CHANGED TO TURN OFF THE LIGHTS AT AROUND MIDNIGHT. ACCORDING TO THE ARPT/FACILITY DIRECTORY, OPERATING HRS FOR THE RWY LIGHTS WERE FROM SUNSET TO SUNRISE. HOWEVER, ARPT MANAGEMENT PSNL FOR KY29 HAD NOT NOTIFIED THE FAA OF THE CHANGE.
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
- Flight time: 854 hours in all; 401 in this make and model; 14 in the last 90 days; 757 as pilot in command
- Medical certificate: Class 3 (valid medical--w/ waivers/lim.)
- Seat: left
The aircraft
- Airframe total time: 4,881 hours
- Last inspection: annual inspection, October 26, 1987; 11 hours since
- Maximum gross weight: 2,300 lb
- Seats: 4
- Landing gear: fixed
- Engine: Continental O-300-D (piston); 0 hours total
The flight
- Departed from: SWO Stillwater OK at 1:50 am
- Destination: PAH Paducah KY
- Flight plan: VFR
- Runway 0
Weather at the time
- Light: night, dark
- Wind: from 260° at 4 knots
- Visibility: 10 statute miles
- Sky: overcast at 3,500 ft; not recorded
- Temperature: 41°F (5°C), dew point 34°F (1°C)
- Altimeter: 29.00 inHg
- Observation at 5:50 am from PAH, 13 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.