Cessna 172P accident near Fort Worth, Texas, February 1, 1987
On February 1, 1987 at about 9:30 pm local time, a Cessna 172P, registered N98816, was substantially damaged in an accident near Fort Worth, Texas (Oak Grove airport). It was a personal flight under general aviation rules (Part 91). No one was hurt; 4 people were 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
- February 1, 1987 · about 9:30 pm local time
- Place
- Fort Worth, Texas · Oak Grove · map
- Type
- Accident
- Injuries
- No one was hurt; 4 people were on board or involved.
- Weather
- visual conditions (good weather)
- Aircraft
- Cessna 172P · all 172Ps on the register
- Registration
- N98816 · no longer on the register · serial 17276361
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Personal flight · general aviation rules (Part 91)
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
PRIVATE PILOT IN CESSNA 172P WITH THREE PASSENGERS ABOARD ATTEMPTED TO TAKE OFF WITH 60 DEGREE, 9 KNOT CROSS-WIND COMPONENT. PILOT ROTATED AIRCRAFT PREMATURELY CAUSING STALL WARNING HORN TO ACTIVATE AND AIRSPEED TO DISSIPATE. PILOT LOWERED NOSE OF AIRCRAFT IN AN ATTEMPT TO REGAIN AIRSPEED. AIRCRAFT BEGAN TO LOSE ALTITUDE. PILOT FAILED TO TAKE CORRECTIVE ACTION TO COMPENSATE FOR CROSS-WIND AND ALLOWED AIRCRAFT TO DRIFT OFF RUNWAY AND IMPACT THE GROUND AND A FENCE CAUSING SUBSTANTIAL DAMAGE TO THE AIRCRAFT. THE PILOT AND PASSENGERS WERE NOT INJURED. PILOT HAD ONE HOUR OF DUAL INSTRUCTION IN ACCIDENT MAKE AND MODEL AND TOTAL OF 2 HOURS IN MAKE AND MODEL.
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: 91 hours in all; 2 in this make and model; 7 in the last 90 days; 42 as pilot in command
- Medical certificate: Class 3 (valid medical--w/ waivers/lim.)
- Seat: left
The aircraft
- Airframe total time: 802 hours
- Last inspection: annual inspection, January 14, 1987; 39 hours since
- Maximum gross weight: 2,150 lb
- Seats: 4
- Landing gear: fixed
- Engine: Lycoming O-320-D2J (piston); 0 hours total
The flight
- Flight plan: none
- Runway 17, 3,500 ft by 50 ft
Weather at the time
- Light: daylight
- Wind: from 230° at 9 knots
- Visibility: 10 statute miles
- Sky: scat at 3,000 ft
- Temperature: 72°F (22°C), dew point 46°F (8°C)
- Altimeter: 29.00 inHg
- Observation at 8:37 pm from FTW, 27 miles away
Injuries
| Fatal | Serious | Minor | None | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Crew | 1 | |||
| Passengers | 3 |
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.