Cessna 172N accident near Troy, Michigan, July 20, 1987
On July 20, 1987 at about 1:30 am local time, a Cessna 172N, registered N6341D, was substantially damaged in an accident near Troy, Michigan (Troy-Oakland airport). It was a personal flight under general aviation rules (Part 91). No one was hurt; 1 person was 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
- July 20, 1987 · about 1:30 am local time
- Place
- Troy, Michigan · Troy-Oakland
- Type
- Accident
- Injuries
- No one was hurt; 1 person was on board or involved.
- Weather
- visual conditions (good weather)
- Aircraft
- Cessna 172N · all 172Ns on the register
- Registration
- N6341D · no longer on the register · serial 17272727
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Personal flight · general aviation rules (Part 91)
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
THE PLT LNDD AT NGT & TAXIED THE ACFT TO A HANGAR AREA FOR A PASSENGER STOP. AFTER THE PASSENGER DEPLANED, THE PLT PROCEEDED TO MAKE A U-TURN AROUND A T-HANGAR & ONTO AN AUTOMOBILE SERVICE ROAD THAT WASN'T NORMALLY USED FOR ACFT. WHILETHE PLT WAS ATTEMPTING TO REENTER THE TAXIWAY, BY GOING BTN T-HANGARS, THE LEFT WING OF THE ACFT HIT A UTILITY POLE & WAS DAMAGED. THERE WERE NO LIGHTS IN THAT AREA.
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: 95 hours in all; 24 in this make and model; 18 in the last 90 days; 6 as pilot in command
- Medical certificate: Class 3 (valid medical--no waivers/lim.)
- Seat: left
The aircraft
- Airframe total time: 1,890 hours
- Last inspection: 100-hour inspection, March 4, 1987; 37 hours since
- Maximum gross weight: 2,300 lb
- Seats: 4
- Landing gear: fixed
- Engine: Lycoming O-320-H2AD (piston); 0 hours total
- Operator: American Christian Avia. INC.
The flight
- Destination: PTK Pontiac MI
- Flight plan: none
- Runway 27, 3,855 ft by 50 ft
Weather at the time
- Light: night, dark
- Wind: from 250° at 15 knots
- Visibility: 4 statute miles
- Sky: scat at 25,000 ft
- Temperature: 0°F (-18°C), dew point 0°F (-18°C)
- Altimeter: 30.00 inHg
Injuries
| Fatal | Serious | Minor | None | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Crew | 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.