Cessna 182 accident near Fargo, Oklahoma, December 29, 1987
On December 29, 1987 at about 2:15 pm local time, a Cessna 182, registered N94546, was substantially damaged in an accident near Fargo, Oklahoma. It was a business 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
- December 29, 1987 · about 2:15 pm local time
- Place
- Fargo, Oklahoma · map
- Type
- Accident
- Injuries
- No one was hurt; 1 person was on board or involved.
- Weather
- visual conditions (good weather)
- Aircraft
- Cessna 182 · all 182s on the register
- Registration
- N94546 · no longer on the register · serial 18266440
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Business flight · general aviation rules (Part 91)
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
DURING TAKEOFF ROLL, THE ENGINE RPM DROPPED TO 2600 AND STARTED RUNNING ROUGH. SHORTLY AFTER TAKEOFF, THE PILOT ELECTED TO MAKE A PRECAUTIONARY LANDING. DURING LANDING ROLL THE AIRCRAFT'S LEFT WING HIT A TREE CAUSING SUBSTANTIAL DAMAGE TO THE AIRCRAFT. PRIOR TO THIS FLIGHT THE PILOT HAD CHANGED HIS OWN OIL AND FAILED TO GET THE NEW OIL FILTER ON PROPERLY, ALLOWING OIL TO BLOW OUT. THE PILOT STATED THAT ON RUNUP, THE PROPELLER 'ACTED SLOW' HOWEVER HE ASSOCIATED THIS WITH THE COLD WEATHER.
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: 570 hours in all
- Medical certificate: Class 2 (valid medical--w/ waivers/lim.)
- Seat: left
The aircraft
- Last inspection: inspection type not recorded
- Maximum gross weight: 2,550 lb
- Seats: 4
- Landing gear: fixed
- Engine: Continental O-470-U (piston); 0 hours total
The flight
- Flight plan: none
- Runway 0
Weather at the time
- Light: daylight
- Wind: from 230° at 6 knots
- Visibility: 8 statute miles
- Sky: clear
- Temperature: 12°F (-11°C), dew point 10°F (-12°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.