Cessna 172P accident near Terre Haute, Indiana, April 25, 1987
On April 25, 1987 at about 2:10 am local time, a Cessna 172P, registered N51881, was substantially damaged in an accident near Terre Haute, Indiana (Sky King airport). It was an instructional flight under general aviation rules (Part 91). 1 person was seriously injured and 1 person had minor injuries; 1 other was unhurt. 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
- April 25, 1987 · about 2:10 am local time
- Place
- Terre Haute, Indiana · Sky King · map
- Type
- Accident
- Injuries
- 1 person was seriously injured and 1 person had minor injuries; 1 other was unhurt.
- Weather
- visual conditions (good weather)
- Aircraft
- Cessna 172P · all 172Ps on the register
- Registration
- N51881 · no longer on the register · serial 17274370
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Instructional flight · general aviation rules (Part 91)
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
AIRCRAFT STALLED ON TAKEOFF DURING AN INSTRUCTIONAL FLIGHT. NO MALFUNCTIONS OR MECHANICAL PROBLEMS WERE REPORTED BY EITHER PILOT. WITNESSES REPORTED THAT THE ENGINE SOUNDED SMOOTH BUT DID NOT SEEM TO BE DEVELOPING FULL POWER. INSPECTION OF AIRCRAFT AFTER THE ACCIDENT REVEALED THE TRIM TAB IN THE NOSE UP POSITION.
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: flight instructor, commercial pilot
- Ratings: multi-engine land; instructor: instrument airplane; instrument: airplane
- Flight time: 367 hours in all; 106 in this make and model; 74 in the last 90 days; 218 as pilot in command
- Medical certificate: Class 2 (valid medical--no waivers/lim.)
- Seat: rgt
The aircraft
- Airframe total time: 3,475 hours
- Last inspection: 100-hour inspection, March 20, 1987; 75 hours since
- Maximum gross weight: 2,400 lb
- Seats: 4
- Landing gear: fixed
- Engine: Lycoming O-320-D2J (piston); 0 hours total
- Operator: Brown Flying School, INC.
The flight
- Destination: IND Indianapolis IN
- Flight plan: VFR
- Runway 26, 3,565 ft by 50 ft
- A second pilot was aboard
Weather at the time
- Light: night, dark
- Wind: from 010° at 6 knots
- Visibility: 15 statute miles
- Sky: clear
- Temperature: 52°F (11°C), dew point 27°F (-3°C)
- Altimeter: 30.00 inHg
- Observation at 2:52 am from HUF, 7 miles away
Injuries
| Fatal | Serious | Minor | None | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Crew | 1 | 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.