Cessna 172N accident near Yuma, Arizona, February 4, 1987
On February 4, 1987 at about 9:20 pm local time, a Cessna 172N, registered N64484, was substantially damaged in an accident near Yuma, Arizona (Yuma Mcas airport). 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
- February 4, 1987 · about 9:20 pm local time
- Place
- Yuma, Arizona · Yuma Mcas · 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
- N64484 · no longer on the register · serial 17265361
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Business flight · general aviation rules (Part 91)
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
A CESSNA 172M VEERED LEFT DURING TAKEOFF GROUND RUN ON RWY 8 AND NOSED DOWN ON THE RWY. THE PLT INDICATED THAT HE ENCOUNTERED A LEFT 90 DEGREE X-WIND GUSTING UP TO 20 KTS. THE ACFT BEGAN TO VEER UNCONTROLLED INTO THE WIND. HE ELECTED TO ABORT THE TAKEOFF AT WHICH TIME THE ACFT TURNED SIDEWARDS. THE ACFT THEN NOSED DOWN AND CAME TO REST ON THE RIGHT WING AND NOSE COWLING. THE PLT ALSO INDICATED THE ACFT WAS MODIFIED WITH A TAILWHEEL CONVERSION AND THAT THERE WERE NO MECHANICAL FAILURES OR MALFUNCTIONS PRIOR TO THE ACCIDENT. THE WINDS WERE REPORTED FROM 350 DEGREES AT 12 KTS GUSTING TO 24 KTS AT THE TIME OF THE ACCIDENT. THE OWNERS MANUAL FOR THE ACFT INDICATES THAT 15 KTS IS THE MAX DEMONSTRATED X-WIND VELOCITY.
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: 471 hours in all; 467 in this make and model; 44 in the last 90 days; 32 in the last 30 days; 449 as pilot in command
- Medical certificate: Class 3 (valid medical--w/ waivers/lim.)
- Seat: left
The aircraft
- Airframe total time: 2,039 hours
- Last inspection: annual inspection, December 11, 1986; 46 hours since
- Maximum gross weight: 2,300 lb
- Seats: 4
- Landing gear: fixed
- Engine: Lycoming O-360 (piston); 0 hours total
The flight
- Departed from: YUM Yuma AZ at 9:20 pm
- Destination: GEU Glendale AZ
- Flight plan: none
- Runway 8, 6,145 ft by 150 ft
Weather at the time
- Light: daylight
- Wind: from 350° at 12 knots, gusting 24
- Visibility: 7 statute miles
- Sky: scat at 4,000 ft
- Temperature: 73°F (23°C), dew point 34°F (1°C)
- Altimeter: 29.00 inHg
- Observation at 9:22 pm from YUM
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.