Cessna 172N accident near Malibu, California, June 18, 1987
On June 18, 1987 at about 11:05 pm local time, a Cessna 172N, registered N738JV, was substantially damaged in an accident near Malibu, California. It was an instructional flight under general aviation rules (Part 91). No one was hurt; 2 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
- June 18, 1987 · about 11:05 pm local time
- Place
- Malibu, California · map
- Type
- Accident
- Injuries
- No one was hurt; 2 people were on board or involved.
- Weather
- visual conditions (good weather)
- Aircraft
- Cessna 172N · all 172Ns on the register
- Registration
- N738JV · no longer on the register · serial 17270022
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Instructional flight · general aviation rules (Part 91)
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
DURING A LOCAL INSTRUCTIONAL FLIGHT, THE PILOT STATED THAT THEY WERE FLYING ALONG THE COAST APRX 1 MILE OFFSHORE AND 500 FT AGL. THE STUDENT STARTED A CLIMBING RIGHT TURN TOWARDS LAND. THE STUDENT CONTINUED TO APPLY BACK PRESSURE TO THE POINT THAT THE ACFT STALLED. THE INSTRUCTOR TOOK OVER AND RECOVERED FROM THE STALL WITH RISING TERRAIN DIRECTLY IN FRONT OF THE ACFT. THE PLT FELT THAT THE ACFT WAS CAUGHT IN A DOWNDRAFT THAT THE WERE UNABLE TO CLIMB OUT OF BEFORE COLLIDING WITH THE TERRAIN. WITNESSES STATED THAT THEY HAD OBSERVED THE ACFT FLYING ERRATICALLY ALONG AND OVER THE POPULATED BEACH AREA AT ALTITUDES VARYING FROM 10 TO 50 FT AGL. WHEN THE ACFT TURNED RIGHT TOWARDS THE MOUNTAINS THE ACFT CLEARED AN APARTMENT COMPLEX BY 10 FT AND EVENTUALLY COLLIDED WITH THE TERRAIN. THERE WERE NO MECHANICAL FAILURES OR MALFUNCTIONS REPORTED.
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: flight instructor, commercial pilot
- Ratings: multi-engine land; single-engine land; instructor: airplane single-engine; instrument: airplane
- Flight time: 618 hours in all; 225 in this make and model; 267 in the last 90 days; 58 in the last 30 days; 523 as pilot in command; 334 on instruments
- Medical certificate: Class 2 (valid medical--no waivers/lim.)
- Seat: left
The aircraft
- Airframe total time: 3,726 hours
- Last inspection: 100-hour inspection, May 25, 1987
- Maximum gross weight: 2,150 lb
- Seats: 4
- Landing gear: fixed
- Engine: Lycoming O-320 H2AD (piston); 0 hours total
The flight
- Departed from: SMO Santa Monica CA at 11:00 pm
- Flight plan: none
- Runway 0
Weather at the time
- Light: daylight
- Wind: from 230° at 10 knots
- Visibility: 7 statute miles
- Sky: clear
- Temperature: 68°F (20°C), dew point 59°F (15°C)
- Altimeter: 30.00 inHg
- Observation at 9:46 pm from SMO, 13 miles away
Injuries
| Fatal | Serious | Minor | None | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Crew | 2 |
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.