Cessna 172P accident near Peru, Indiana, May 18, 1987
On May 18, 1987 at about 9:20 am local time, a Cessna 172P, registered N62629, was substantially damaged in an accident near Peru, Indiana (Peru Munic. airport). It was a personal flight under general aviation rules (Part 91). 3 people 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
- May 18, 1987 · about 9:20 am local time
- Place
- Peru, Indiana · Peru Munic. · map
- Type
- Accident
- Injuries
- 3 people had minor injuries.
- Weather
- visual conditions (good weather)
- Aircraft
- Cessna 172P · all 172Ps on the register
- Registration
- N62629 · no longer on the register · serial 17275315
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Personal flight · general aviation rules (Part 91)
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
THE PILOT WAS ATTEMPTING A CROSS COUNTRY VFR FLIGHT AND WAS MAKING A SECOND PRECAUTIONARY LANDING TO AVOID SEVERE WEATHER. ON LANDING THE PILOT LANDED HARD, COLLAPSED THE NOSE GEAR, EXITED THE RUNWAY AND NOSED OVER IN SOFT TERRAIN.
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: 90 hours in all; 18 in this make and model; 18 in the last 90 days; 39 as pilot in command
- Medical certificate: Class 3 (valid medical--no waivers/lim.)
- Seat: left
The aircraft
- Airframe total time: 1,733 hours
- Last inspection: 100-hour inspection, March 5, 1987; 92 hours since
- Maximum gross weight: 2,150 lb
- Seats: 4
- Landing gear: fixed
- Engine: Lycoming O-320-D2J (piston); 0 hours total
- Operator: Air Aurora
The flight
- Departed from: OKK Kokomo IN at 8:30 am
- Destination: ARR Aurora IL
- Flight plan: VFR
- Runway 36, 3,000 ft by 60 ft
Weather at the time
- Light: night, dark
- Wind: from 320° at 10 knots
- Visibility: 5 statute miles
- Sky: broken clouds at 32,000 ft; not recorded
- Temperature: 0°F (-18°C), dew point 0°F (-18°C)
- Altimeter: 29.00 inHg
- Observation at 9:45 am from GUS, 9 miles away
Injuries
| Fatal | Serious | Minor | None | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Crew | 1 | |||
| Passengers | 2 |
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.