Cessna 172M accident near West Lafayette, Ohio, May 16, 1984
On May 16, 1984 at about 5:45 pm local time, a Cessna 172M, registered N8890V, was substantially damaged in an accident near West Lafayette, Ohio (Tri-City 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
- May 16, 1984 · about 5:45 pm local time
- Place
- West Lafayette, Ohio · Tri-City · map
- Type
- Accident
- Injuries
- No one was hurt; 2 people were on board or involved.
- Weather
- visual conditions (good weather)
- Aircraft
- Cessna 172M · all 172Ms on the register
- Registration
- N8890V · registry record · serial 17264248
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Personal flight · general aviation rules (Part 91)
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
THE ACRT SWERVED OFF THE RWY INTO SOFT PLOWED TERRAIN AND NOSED OVER. THE PLT SAID THAT THE WIND HAD CHANGED DIRECTION AND VELOCITY SINCE HIS TAKEOFF 2 HOURS BEFORE.
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: student
- Ratings: single-engine land
- Flight time: 185 hours in all; 140 in this make and model; 10 in the last 90 days; 142 as pilot in command
- Medical certificate: Class 3 (valid medical--w/ waivers/lim.)
- Seat: left
The aircraft
- Airframe total time: 468 hours
- Last inspection: annual inspection, January 7, 1984; 0 hours since
- Maximum gross weight: 2,300 lb
- Seats: 4
- Landing gear: fixed
- Engine: Lycoming O-320-E2D (piston); 0 hours total
The flight
- Departed from: PHD Philadelphia OH at 5:20 pm
- Flight plan: none
- Runway 28, 3,000 ft by 100 ft
Weather at the time
- Light: daylight
- Wind: from 350° at 10 knots
- Visibility: 25 statute miles
- Sky: scat at 5,000 ft
- Temperature: 57°F (14°C), dew point 30°F (-1°C)
- Altimeter: 30.00 inHg
- Observation at 4:00 pm from ZZV, 20 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.