Cessna 172M accident near Atlantic Ocean, AO, July 26, 1987
On July 26, 1987 at about 7:50 pm local time, a Cessna 172M, registered N61897, was substantially damaged in an accident near Atlantic Ocean, AO. It was a personal flight under general aviation rules (Part 91). 1 person was seriously injured; 1 other was unhurt. 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 26, 1987 · about 7:50 pm local time
- Place
- Atlantic Ocean, AO
- Type
- Accident
- Injuries
- 1 person was seriously injured; 1 other was unhurt.
- Weather
- visual conditions (good weather)
- Aircraft
- Cessna 172M · all 172Ms on the register
- Registration
- N61897 · no longer on the register · serial 17264877
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Personal flight · general aviation rules (Part 91)
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
THE FLT WAS APRX 43 MILES WEST-NORTHWEST OF FREEPORT, BAHAMAS, EN ROUTE TO FORT LAUDERDALE, FL WHEN THE PLT OBSERVED THEENGINE OIL PRESSURE GAUGE INDICATING ZERO PRESSURE. HE REVERSED COURSE BACK TO FREEPORT, CONTACTED MIAMI RADIO AND GAVE HIS LOCATION. THE ENGINE QUIT AND THE ACFT WAS DITCHED IN THE ATLANTIC OCEAN. THE ACFT HAS NOT BEEN RECOVERED. NO DETERMINATION COULD BE MADE AS TO THE REASON FOR THE ENGINE FAILURE.
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: airline transport pilot, commercial pilot
- Ratings: multi-engine land; single-engine land; single-engine sea; instrument: airplane
- Flight time: 11,741 hours in all; 206 in the last 90 days
- Medical certificate: Class 1 (valid medical--w/ waivers/lim.)
- Seat: rgt
The aircraft
- Airframe total time: 2,420 hours
- Last inspection: annual inspection; 40 hours since
- Maximum gross weight: 2,300 lb
- Seats: 4
- Landing gear: fixed
- Engine: Lycoming O-320-E2D (piston); 0 hours total
- Operator: Lots,Inc.
The flight
- Departed from: ZFP Freeport, Bh OF at 7:30 pm
- Destination: FLL Ft.Lauderdale FL
- Flight plan: VFR
- Runway 0
Weather at the time
- Light: daylight
- Wind: from 270° at 2 knots
- Visibility: 8 statute miles
- Sky: broken clouds at 25,000 ft; scat at 1,500 ft
- Temperature: 81°F (27°C), dew point 73°F (23°C)
- Altimeter: 30.00 inHg
- Observation at 7:42 pm from ZFP, 38 miles away
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.
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.