Cessna 172E accident near Muncie, Indiana, March 16, 1987
On March 16, 1987 at about 4:50 pm local time, a Cessna 172E, registered N7757U, was substantially damaged in an accident near Muncie, Indiana (Delaware County airport). It was a personal flight under general aviation rules (Part 91). No one was hurt; 3 people were on board or involved. The weather was visual conditions (good weather).
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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
- March 16, 1987 · about 4:50 pm local time
- Place
- Muncie, Indiana · Delaware County · map
- Type
- Accident
- Injuries
- No one was hurt; 3 people were on board or involved.
- Weather
- visual conditions (good weather)
- Aircraft
- Cessna 172E · all 172Es on the register
- Registration
- N7757U · registry record · serial 17257757
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Personal flight · general aviation rules (Part 91)
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
ACCORDING TO THE PLT, HE CONTACTED THE MIE TOWER ABOUT 20 MILES NORTH OF MUNCIE, INDIANA AND RECEIVED A WEATHER BRIEFING WITH A CHOICE OF RWY 14 OR 02. THE PLT STATED THAT THE WINDS WERE REPORTED AS 12 KNOTS FROM 080, AND HE CHOSE TO LAND ON RWY 14. ACCORDING TO THE PLT, HE USED A SLIPPING APCH AND LANDED THE ACFT. THE PLT STATED THAT HE THEN NEUTRALIZED THE AILERONS AND 'A GUST OF WIND MUST HAVE THEN CAUGHT ME.' ACCORDING TO THE PLT, THE LEFT WING RAISED AND THE ACFT VEERED OFF THE RIGHT SIDE OF THE RWY. THE PLT STATED THAT HE THEN ATTEMPTED A GO-AROUND, HOWEVER HE DISCONTINUED THE ATTEMPT WHEN HE HEARD THE PROP STRIKING THE RWY. ACCORDING TO THE PLT, HE THEN SHUT DOWN THE ENGINE AS THE ACFT APPROACHED A DITCH AT APRX 10-15 MPH. THE PLT STATED THAT THE WHEELS STUCK IN THE MUD AND THAT ACFT DID A VERY SLOW 'NOSE-OVER.'
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: 230 hours in all; 116 in this make and model; 28 in the last 90 days; 172 as pilot in command
- Medical certificate: Class 3 (valid medical--no waivers/lim.)
- Seat: left
The aircraft
- Airframe total time: 5,050 hours
- Last inspection: annual inspection, April 26, 1986
- Maximum gross weight: 2,300 lb
- Seats: 4
- Landing gear: fixed
- Engine: Continental O-300-D (piston); 0 hours total
The flight
- Departed from: SMD Ft. Wayne IN at 4:15 pm
- Flight plan: none
- Runway 14, 6,499 ft by 150 ft
Weather at the time
- Light: daylight
- Wind: from 090° at 19 knots
- Visibility: 10 statute miles
- Sky: scat at 25,000 ft
- Temperature: 0°F (-18°C), dew point 0°F (-18°C)
- Altimeter: 30.00 inHg
- Observation at 4:45 pm from MIE
Injuries
| Fatal | Serious | Minor | None | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Crew | 1 | |||
| Passengers | 2 |
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 CHI87LA096.