Cessna 172N accident near Sacramento, California, November 25, 1987
On November 25, 1987 at about 9:03 pm local time, a Cessna 172N, registered N75825, was substantially damaged in an accident near Sacramento, California (Sacramento Executive airport). It was a personal 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
- November 25, 1987 · about 9:03 pm local time
- Place
- Sacramento, California · Sacramento Executive · 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
- N75825 · registry record · serial 67982
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Personal flight · general aviation rules (Part 91)
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
A CESSNA 172N VEERED OFF RUNWAY 30. THE PILOT REPORTED THAT A GUST OF WIND LIFTED THE LEFT WING RESULTING IN THE RIGHT WING SCRAPING THE RUNWAY SURFACE. THE AIRPLANE SUBSEQUENTLY GROUND LOOPED TO THE RIGHT AND DEPARTED THE RUNWAY. THE WINDS WERE REPORTED TO BE FROM 350 DEGREES AT 22 KNOTS GUSTING TO 27 KNOTS DURING THE SCHEDULED RECORD OBSERVATION AT 1248 HOURS PST, APPROXIMATELY 15 MINUTES PRIOR TO THE ACCIDENT. THE SAC AIR TRAFFIC CONTROL TOWER HAD ISSUED A LOW LEVEL WIND SHEAR ADVISORY TO THE PILOT WHEN THEY CLEARED HIM TO LAND. AT 1337 HOURS PST A SPECIAL OBSERVATION AS A RESULT OF THE AIRPLANE ACCIDENT RECORDED THE WINDS FROM 330 DEGREES AT 24 KNOTS GUSTING TO 31 KNOTS.
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: 2,037 hours in all; 1,962 in this make and model; 18 in the last 90 days; 1,966 as pilot in command
- Medical certificate: Class 3 (valid medical--w/ waivers/lim.)
- Seat: left
The aircraft
- Airframe total time: 1,199 hours
- Last inspection: annual inspection, September 1, 1987; 18 hours since
- Maximum gross weight: 2,300 lb
- Seats: 4
- Landing gear: fixed
- Engine: Lycoming O-320-H2AD (piston); 0 hours total
The flight
- Flight plan: none
- Runway 30, 3,836 ft by 100 ft
Weather at the time
- Light: daylight
- Wind: from 350° at 22 knots, gusting 27
- Visibility: 100 statute miles
- Sky: scat at 30,000 ft
- Temperature: 59°F (15°C), dew point 0°F (-18°C)
- Altimeter: 30.00 inHg
- Observation at 8:48 pm from SAC
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.
Other NTSB records under N75825 the same tail number, which may have belonged to a different aircraft at the time
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.