Cessna 175 accident near Jackson, California, July 18, 1987
On July 18, 1987 at about 6:12 pm local time, a Cessna 175, registered N7499M, was substantially damaged in an accident near Jackson, California (Westover Field). It was a personal flight under general aviation rules (Part 91). No one was hurt; 3 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
- July 18, 1987 · about 6:12 pm local time
- Place
- Jackson, California · Westover Field · map
- Type
- Accident
- Injuries
- No one was hurt; 3 people were on board or involved.
- Weather
- visual conditions (good weather)
- Aircraft
- Cessna 175 · all 175s on the register
- Registration
- N7499M · no longer on the register · serial 55799
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Personal flight · general aviation rules (Part 91)
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
JUST AFTER TAKEOFF THE ENGINE BEGAN MISSING THEN QUIT AT AN ALTITUDE OF APRX 200 FT AGL. THE PLT ATTEMPTED TO RETURN AND LAND AT THE AIRPORT BUT WAS UNABLE TO REACH THE RUNWAY. INSPECTION OF THE ENGINE REVEALED THAT THE NUMBER 5 CYLINDERBARREL WAS CRACKED AT THE BASE OF THE CYLINDER HEAD.
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: 106 hours in all; 61 in this make and model; 29 in the last 90 days; 49 as pilot in command
- Medical certificate: Class 3 (valid medical--w/ waivers/lim.)
- Seat: left
The aircraft
- Airframe total time: 1,529 hours
- Last inspection: annual inspection, June 26, 1987; 61 hours since
- Maximum gross weight: 2,350 lb
- Seats: 4
- Landing gear: fixed
- Engine: Continental GO-300-A (piston); 0 hours total
The flight
- Departed from: 070 Jackson CA at 6:30 pm
- Destination: 003 San Andreas CA
- Flight plan: none
- Runway 0
Weather at the time
- Light: daylight
- Wind: from 190° at 11 knots
- Visibility: 40 statute miles
- Sky: scat at 8,000 ft
- Temperature: 68°F (20°C), dew point 50°F (10°C)
- Altimeter: 30.00 inHg
- Observation at 5:48 pm from SAC, 13 miles away
Injuries
| Fatal | Serious | Minor | None | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Crew | 1 | |||
| Passengers | 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.