Cessna 172RG accident near Llano, Texas, October 23, 1987
On October 23, 1987 at about 1:40 am local time, a Cessna 172RG, registered N9875B, was destroyed in an accident near Llano, Texas. It was a business flight under general aviation rules (Part 91). 2 people were killed. 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
- October 23, 1987 · about 1:40 am local time
- Place
- Llano, Texas · map
- Type
- Accident
- Injuries
- 2 people were killed.
- Weather
- visual conditions (good weather)
- Aircraft
- Cessna 172RG · all 172RGs on the register
- Registration
- N9875B · no longer on the register · serial 172RG1065
- Damage
- Destroyed
- Flight
- Business flight · general aviation rules (Part 91)
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
THE PILOT DEPARTED LUBBOCK, TEXAS IN VFR CONDITIONS. AS THE FLIGHT PROGRESSED THE CEILING AND VISIBILITY DETERIORATED AND THE PILOT ENCOUNTERED INSTRUMENT METEOROLOGICAL CONDITIONS. NO EVIDENCE WAS FOUND TO INDICATE THAT THE PILOT OBTAINED A WEATHER BRIEFING PRIOR TO DEPARTURE OR EN ROUTE. THE AIRCRAFT IMPACTED THE GROUND WITH THE LANDING GEARS AND WING FLAPS FULLY RETRACTED. FOLLOWING INITIAL IMPACT THE AIRCRAFT BOUNCED AND CONTACTED A LARGE TREE. POST ACC INVEST REVEALED NO PRE-IMPACT MALFUNCTIONS OF THE ACFT.
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: 5,000 hours in all
- Medical certificate: Class 3 (valid medical--w/ waivers/lim.)
- Seat: left
The aircraft
- Last inspection: annual inspection, July 24, 1987; 91 hours since
- Maximum gross weight: 2,200 lb
- Seats: 4
- Landing gear: retractable
- Engine: Lycoming O-360-F1A6 (piston); 0 hours total
The flight
- Departed from: F82 Lubbock TX at 11:30 pm
- Destination: T98 San Marcos TX
- Flight plan: none
- Runway 0
Weather at the time
- Light: night, dark
- Visibility: 3 statute miles
- Sky: broken clouds at 500 ft; scat at 300 ft
- Temperature: 66°F (19°C), dew point 64°F (18°C)
- Altimeter: 30.00 inHg
- Observation at 1:55 am from GRK, 45 miles away
Injuries
| Fatal | Serious | Minor | None | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Crew | 1 | |||
| Passengers | 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.