Cessna 172M accident near Banning, California, December 29, 1987
On December 29, 1987 at about 10:00 pm local time, a Cessna 172M, registered N12943, was substantially damaged in an accident near Banning, California (Banning airport). It was a personal 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
- December 29, 1987 · about 10:00 pm local time
- Place
- Banning, California · Banning · map
- Type
- Accident
- Injuries
- No one was hurt; 2 people were on board or involved.
- Weather
- visual conditions (good weather)
- Aircraft
- Cessna 172M · all 172Ms on the register
- Registration
- N12943 · registry record · serial 17262389
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Personal flight · general aviation rules (Part 91)
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
DURING A PLEASURE FLIGHT WHILE ON FINAL APPROACH, APRX 10 FT ABOVE THE RWY, THE ACFT SUDDENLY DROPPED AND BOUNCED ON THE RWY. AFTER A NEARBY RAIN STORM PASSED OVER THE AREA, THE ACFT WAS FLOWN TO THE HOME BASE. SEVERAL DAYS LATER, THE OPERATOR DISCOVERED SUBSTANTIAL DAMAGE TO THE STRUCTURE.
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: 137 hours in all; 40 in this make and model; 7 in the last 90 days; 6 in the last 30 days; 104 as pilot in command
- Medical certificate: Class 3 (valid medical--w/ waivers/lim.)
- Seat: left
The aircraft
- Airframe total time: 4,650 hours
- Last inspection: annual inspection, December 22, 1987; 12 hours since
- Maximum gross weight: 2,300 lb
- Seats: 4
- Landing gear: fixed
- Engine: Lycoming O-320-E2D (piston); 0 hours total
- Operator: Cable Air
The flight
- Departed from: PSP Palm Springs CA at 7:00 pm
- Destination: CCB Upland CA
- Flight plan: VFR
- Runway 26, 5,200 ft by 150 ft
Weather at the time
- Light: daylight
- Wind: from 180° at 8 knots
- Visibility: 5 statute miles
- Sky: clear
- Temperature: 37°F (3°C), dew point 0°F (-18°C)
Injuries
| Fatal | Serious | Minor | None | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Crew | 1 | |||
| Passengers | 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 N12943 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.