Cessna 172I accident near Baton Rouge, Louisiana, July 8, 1987
On July 8, 1987 at about 1:44 am local time, a Cessna 172I, registered N8485L, was substantially damaged in an accident near Baton Rouge, Louisiana (Baton Rouge airport). It was a personal flight under general aviation rules (Part 91). 1 person had minor injuries. 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 8, 1987 · about 1:44 am local time
- Place
- Baton Rouge, Louisiana · Baton Rouge
- Type
- Accident
- Injuries
- 1 person had minor injuries.
- Weather
- visual conditions (good weather)
- Aircraft
- Cessna 172I · all 172Is on the register
- Registration
- N8485L · registry record · serial 17256685
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Personal flight · general aviation rules (Part 91)
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
THE PLT RPRTD THAT AFTER TAKING OFF TO PRACTICE TOUCH & GO LNDGS, THE ENG LOST PWR. HE ATMTD TO MAKE A FORCED LNDG ON THE ARPT, BUT WAS UNABLE. WHILE LNDG SHORT OF THE RWY, THE ACFT HIT THE TOP OF A TREE & THE ARPT SECURITY FENCE. MAINTENANCE HAD JUST BEEN PERFORMED ON THE ACFT. AN EXAM OF THE ENG REVEALED THAT THE OIL TEMPERATURE 'BULB' HAD INADVERTENTLY BEEN LEFT OUT OF THE OIL FILTER. SUBSEQUENTLY, OIL WAS PUMPED OVERBOARD & THE ENG SEIZED DUE TO OIL EXHAUSTION.
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: 177 hours in all; 75 in this make and model; 28 in the last 90 days; 128 as pilot in command
- Medical certificate: Class 3 (valid medical--no waivers/lim.)
- Seat: left
The aircraft
- Last inspection: annual inspection, July 7, 1987; 5 hours since
- Maximum gross weight: 2,150 lb
- Seats: 4
- Landing gear: fixed
- Engine: Lycoming O-320-E2D (piston); 0 hours total
The flight
- Departed from: BTR at 1:30 am
- Flight plan: none
- Runway 4, 6,900 ft by 50 ft
Weather at the time
- Light: dusk
- Wind: at 4 knots
- Visibility: 10 statute miles
- Sky: broken clouds at 25,000 ft; scat at 1,000 ft
- Temperature: 79°F (26°C), dew point 75°F (24°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.