Cessna 172N accident near Fort Worth, Texas, January 21, 1987
On January 21, 1987 at about 9:15 pm local time, a Cessna 172N, registered N4901G, was substantially damaged in an accident near Fort Worth, Texas (Meacham 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 21, 1987 · about 9:15 pm local time
- Place
- Fort Worth, Texas · Meacham · map
- 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
- N4901G · no longer on the register · serial 17273448
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Instructional flight · general aviation rules (Part 91)
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
THE NOSE GEAR STRUT DEPRESSED MORE THAN NORMAL FOLLOWING WHAT THE STUDENT PLT THOUGHT WAS A NORMAL TOUCHDOWN AND THE ACFT VEERED OFF THE RWY. AS CONTROL WAS LOST, THE NOSE GEAR TIRE BLEW AND THE ACFT SUBSEQUENTLY STRUCK A VASI LIGHT COLLAPSING THE NOSE GEAR. INVESTIGATION REVEALED THAT THE NOSE GEAR STRUT WAS SERVICED TO 10 PSI INSTEAD OF THE MINIMUM OF 45 PSI THAT WAS REQUIRED BY THE ACFT MAINTENANCE MANUAL.
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: 31 hours in all; 31 in this make and model; 28 in the last 90 days; 3 as pilot in command
- Medical certificate: Class 2 (valid medical--no waivers/lim.)
- Seat: left
The aircraft
- Airframe total time: 5,741 hours
- Last inspection: approved inspection programme, January 20, 1987; 6 hours since
- Maximum gross weight: 2,220 lb
- Seats: 4
- Landing gear: fixed
- Engine: Lycoming O-320-H2AD (piston); 0 hours total
- Operator: Ate Of Florida,Inc.
The flight
- Departed from: GLE Gainsville TX at 8:15 pm
- Flight plan: none
- Runway 16L, 7,500 ft by 150 ft
Weather at the time
- Light: daylight
- Wind: from 340° at 8 knots
- Visibility: 10 statute miles
- Sky: clear
- Temperature: 52°F (11°C), dew point 25°F (-4°C)
- Altimeter: 30.00 inHg
- Observation at 8:50 pm from FTW
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.