Cessna 172B accident near Roswell, New Mexico, January 24, 1987
On January 24, 1987 at about 6:41 pm local time, a Cessna 172B, registered N8224X, was substantially damaged in an accident near Roswell, New Mexico (Roswell Industrial airport). It was an instructional 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
- January 24, 1987 · about 6:41 pm local time
- Place
- Roswell, New Mexico · Roswell Industrial · map
- Type
- Accident
- Injuries
- No one was hurt; 1 person was on board or involved.
- Weather
- visual conditions (good weather)
- Aircraft
- Cessna 172B · all 172Bs on the register
- Registration
- N8224X · no longer on the register · serial 17258724
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Instructional flight · general aviation rules (Part 91)
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
STUDENT PLT OBTAINED WX BRIEFING FROM FORT WORTH FSS AND FILED VFR FLT PLAN FOR X-COUNTRY FLT FROM PLAINVIEW, TEX, TO ROSWELL, NM, VIA HOBBS, NM,. PLT LANDED AT ROSWELL, REFUELED, AND FILED RETURN VFR FLT PLAN. HE DID NOT OBTAIN UPDATED WX BRIEFING. COLD FRONT HAD PASSED THROUGH AREA BRINGING WIND SHIFT AND HIGH GUSTY WINDS. PLT WAS CLEARED FOR TAKEOFF ON RWY 30 AND WAS TOLD WINDS WERE 310 DEG AT 29KTS. AS PLT RELEASED BRAKES ATCT TOLD PLT THAT WINDS WERE 310 DEG AT 39 KTS. WIND GUST RAISED RIGHT WING AND ACFT WAS BLOWN 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: student
- Ratings: single-engine land
- Flight time: 35 hours in all; 35 in this make and model; 35 in the last 90 days; 14 as pilot in command
- Medical certificate: Class 3 (valid medical--no waivers/lim.)
- Seat: left
The aircraft
- Airframe total time: 2,220 hours
- Last inspection: annual inspection, February 11, 1986
- Maximum gross weight: 2,200 lb
- Seats: 4
- Landing gear: fixed
- Engine: Continental O-300-D (piston); 0 hours total
The flight
- Destination: PVW Plainview TX
- Flight plan: VFR
- Runway 30, 7,415 ft by 200 ft
Weather at the time
- Light: daylight
- Wind: from 310° at 22 knots, gusting 35
- Visibility: 40 statute miles
- Sky: clear
- Temperature: 52°F (11°C), dew point 23°F (-5°C)
- Altimeter: 29.00 inHg
- Observation at 6:50 pm from ROW
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.