Cessna 172F accident near Lamoni, Iowa, October 17, 1987
On October 17, 1987 at about 7:30 pm local time, a Cessna 172F, registered N8508U, was substantially damaged in an accident near Lamoni, Iowa (Municipal airport). It was a personal flight under general aviation rules (Part 91). No one was hurt; 4 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
- October 17, 1987 · about 7:30 pm local time
- Place
- Lamoni, Iowa · Municipal · map
- Type
- Accident
- Injuries
- No one was hurt; 4 people were on board or involved.
- Weather
- visual conditions (good weather)
- Aircraft
- Cessna 172F · all 172Fs on the register
- Registration
- N8508U · registry record · serial 52408
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Personal flight · general aviation rules (Part 91)
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
THE PILOT SAID HE WAS TOO HIGH ON FINAL AND WENT AROUND. HE STATED THAT, WHEN HE WAS ON SHORT FINAL DURING THE NEXT APPROACH, HE THOUGHT HE WAS STILL TOO HIGH AND PUT DOWN FULL FLAPS. THE AIRPLANE STALLED AND TOUCHED DOWN SHORT OF THE RUNWAY. THE NOSEGEAR WAS SHEARED OFF AT IMPACT WITH THE RUNWAY LIP.
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: commercial pilot
- Ratings: single-engine land
- Flight time: 461 hours in all; 200 in this make and model; 36 in the last 90 days; 328 as pilot in command
- Medical certificate: Class 3 (valid medical--w/ waivers/lim.)
- Seat: left
The aircraft
- Airframe total time: 4,198 hours
- Last inspection: annual inspection, January 1, 1987; 24 hours since
- Maximum gross weight: 2,300 lb
- Seats: 4
- Landing gear: fixed
- Engine: Continental O-300 (piston); 0 hours total
The flight
- Departed from: Pittsfield IL at 5:30 pm
- Destination: OY7 Lamoni IA
- Flight plan: VFR
- Runway 17, 2,597 ft by 24 ft
Weather at the time
- Light: daylight
- Wind: from 250° at 14 knots
- Visibility: 15 statute miles
- Sky: clear
- Temperature: 59°F (15°C), dew point 37°F (3°C)
- Altimeter: 30.00 inHg
Injuries
| Fatal | Serious | Minor | None | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Crew | 1 | |||
| Passengers | 3 |
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.