Cessna 172 accident near Tappahannock, Virginia, September 3, 1987
On September 3, 1987 at about 11:00 pm local time, a Cessna 172, registered N78505, was substantially damaged in an accident near Tappahannock, Virginia (Private airport). It was a personal flight under general aviation rules (Part 91). No one was hurt; 1 person was 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
- September 3, 1987 · about 11:00 pm local time
- Place
- Tappahannock, Virginia · Private · map
- Type
- Accident
- Injuries
- No one was hurt; 1 person was on board or involved.
- Weather
- visual conditions (good weather)
- Aircraft
- Cessna 172 · all 172s on the register
- Registration
- N78505 · no longer on the register · serial 17257642
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Personal flight · general aviation rules (Part 91)
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
THE ACFT WAS AT 1500 MSL WHEN A 300 RPM LOSS OF POWER OCCURRED. THE PLT SIGHTED A PRIVATE LANDING STRIP AND HE DECIDED TO MAKE A PRECAUTIONARY LANDING ON IT. DURING THE LANDING ROLL ON THE 62 FT WIDE GRASS STRIP THE L WING STRUCK CORN STALKS IN AN ADJACENT CORNFIELD. THE PLT EXPERIENCED A LOSS OF CONTROL FOLLOWED BY THE ACFT VEERING TO THE LEFT AND INTO THE CORNFIELD. EXAMINATION OF THE ACFT DID NOT REVEAL EVIDENCE OF MALFUNCTION. CONDITIONS WERE CONDUCTIVE FOR CARBURETOR ICING.
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; instrument: airplane
- Flight time: 350 hours in all
- Medical certificate: Class 2 (valid medical--no waivers/lim.)
- Seat: left
The aircraft
- Airframe total time: 4,014 hours
- Last inspection: annual inspection, April 16, 1987; 44 hours since
- Maximum gross weight: 2,150 lb
- Seats: 4
- Landing gear: fixed
- Engine: Lycoming IO-320-E2D (piston); 0 hours total
The flight
- Departed from: W79 at 10:45 pm
- Destination: RIC Richmond VA
- Flight plan: none
- Runway 0
Weather at the time
- Light: daylight
- Wind: from 090° at 6 knots
- Visibility: 7 statute miles
- Temperature: 72°F (22°C), dew point 63°F (17°C)
- Altimeter: 30.00 inHg
- Observation at 11:50 pm from RIC, 30 miles away
Injuries
| Fatal | Serious | Minor | None | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Crew | 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.