Cessna 172K accident near Butler, Pennsylvania, February 1, 1987
On February 1, 1987 at about 9:30 pm local time, a Cessna 172K, registered N79881, was substantially damaged in an accident near Butler, Pennsylvania (Butler County 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).
Preview. This page is not yet listed for search engines.
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 4, 2026. Docket and reports at the NTSB.
What the record shows
- Date
- February 1, 1987 · about 9:30 pm local time
- Place
- Butler, Pennsylvania · Butler County · map
- Type
- Accident
- Injuries
- No one was hurt; 4 people were on board or involved.
- Weather
- visual conditions (good weather)
- Aircraft
- Cessna 172K · all 172Ks on the register
- Registration
- N79881 · registry record · serial 17258216
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Personal flight · general aviation rules (Part 91)
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
THE PERSONAL FLIGHT WITH FOUR OCCUPANTS ON BOARD LANDED ABOUT 40 FEET SHORT OF THE RUNWAY AFTER COMPLETING TWO SUCCESSFUL TOUCH AND GO LANDINGS. PILOT STATED THAT THE WIND WAS AT 220 DEGREES AT 10 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
What happened, in order
- UNDERSHOOT during approach
- HARD LANDING during landing - flare/touchdown
Pilot
- Ratings: single-engine land, none, none, none
- Flight time: 82 hours in all; 8 in this make and model; 5 in the last 90 days; 41 as pilot in command
- Medical certificate: class 3
The aircraft
- Airframe total time: 3,268 hours
- Last inspection: type not recorded, April 2, 1986; 13 hours since
- Maximum gross weight: 2,150 lb
- Seats: 4
- Landing gear: fixed
- Engine: Lycoming O-320 (piston); 0 hours total
- Operating certificate: in the vicinity
The flight
- Departed from: G08 Monongahela PA at 7:30 pm
- Destination: Butler PA
- Flight plan: none
- Runway 26, 4,000 ft by 100 ft
Weather at the time
- Light: daylight
- Wind: from 220° at 10 knots
- Visibility: 26 statute miles
- Sky: not recorded; not recorded
- Temperature: 39°C, dew point 0°C
- Altimeter: 29 inHg
Injuries
| Fatal | Serious | Minor | None | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Crew | 1 | |||
| Passengers | 3 |
About this page
Everything above comes from the NTSB's public accident database: the narrative, probable cause and findings are the NTSB's own words, and the coded tables behind its report (pilot, aircraft, flight, weather, injuries, sequence of events) are written out in plain English. Pilots' ages, home towns and medical details are left out on purpose. The docket at the NTSB holds the report as a PDF and the investigation's photographs and documents. This site never names pilots, passengers or anyone else involved. A preliminary report describes what is known soon after the event and can change; the final report, with the probable cause, usually follows one to two years later and this page is refreshed when it does. Case number NYC87LA075.