Cessna 172 accident near Charlevoix, Michigan, February 14, 1987
On February 14, 1987 at about 11:00 pm local time, a Cessna 172, registered N8896B, was substantially damaged in an accident near Charlevoix, Michigan (Charlevoix Muni. 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).
Preview. This page is not yet listed for search engines.
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 4, 2026. Docket and reports at the NTSB.
What the record shows
- Date
- February 14, 1987 · about 11:00 pm local time
- Place
- Charlevoix, Michigan · Charlevoix Muni. · map
- Type
- Accident
- Injuries
- No one was hurt; 2 people were on board or involved.
- Weather
- visual conditions (good weather)
- Aircraft
- Cessna 172 · all 172s on the register
- Registration
- N8896B · registry record · serial 36596
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Personal flight · general aviation rules (Part 91)
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
UPON LANDING THE NOSE WHEEL BUCKLED AFTER STRIKING A SNOWBANK AND THE AIRCRAFT FLIPPED OVER. PILOT REPORTED THERE WAS A PROBLEM WITH THE NOSE WHEEL ALTHOUGH INSPECTION OF THE NOSE WHEEL AFTER THE ACCIDENT DID NOT REVEAL ANY MALFUNCTION.
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: 212 hours in all; 42 in this make and model; 5 in the last 90 days; 173 as pilot in command
- Medical certificate: Class 3 (valid medical--w/ waivers/lim.)
- Seat: left
The aircraft
- Airframe total time: 2,721 hours
- Last inspection: annual inspection, January 1, 1987; 42 hours since
- Maximum gross weight: 2,075 lb
- Seats: 4
- Landing gear: fixed
- Engine: Continental O-300-A (piston); 0 hours total
- Operator: Charlevoix Soaring Club, INC.
The flight
- Departed from: Y94 East Jordan MI at 10:40 pm
- Destination: CVX
- Flight plan: none
- Runway 8, 4,500 ft by 75 ft
Weather at the time
- Light: daylight
- Wind: from 010° at 7 knots
- Visibility: 20 statute miles
- Sky: clear
- Temperature: 9°F (-13°C), dew point 9°F (-13°C)
- Altimeter: 30.00 inHg
- Observation at 10:51 pm from PLN, 25 miles away
Injuries
| Fatal | Serious | Minor | None | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Crew | 1 | |||
| Passengers | 1 |
About this page
Everything above comes from the NTSB's public accident database: the narrative, probable cause and findings are the NTSB's own words, and the coded tables behind its report (pilot, aircraft, flight, weather, injuries, sequence of events) are written out in plain English. Pilots' ages, home towns and medical details are left out on purpose. The docket at the NTSB holds the report as a PDF and the investigation's photographs and documents. This site never names pilots, passengers or anyone else involved. A preliminary report describes what is known soon after the event and can change; the final report, with the probable cause, usually follows one to two years later and this page is refreshed when it does. Case number CHI87LA084.