Cessna 172 accident near Cross Keys, New Jersey, February 27, 1987
On February 27, 1987 at about 4:45 pm local time, a Cessna 172, registered N9821J, was substantially damaged in an accident near Cross Keys, New Jersey (Cross Keys 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
- February 27, 1987 · about 4:45 pm local time
- Place
- Cross Keys, New Jersey · Cross Keys
- Type
- Accident
- Injuries
- No one was hurt; 1 person was on board or involved.
- Weather
- visual conditions (good weather)
- Aircraft
- Cessna 172 · all 172s on the register
- Registration
- N9821J · no longer on the register · serial 17273923
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Personal flight · general aviation rules (Part 91)
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
THE PLT RPRTD THAT DRG THE LNDG ROLL, HE GLANCED DOWN AT THE AIRSPEED INDCR, & AT THE SAME TIME, MUST HAVE RELAXED CONTROL OF THE ACFT. AT ABOUT THAT TIME, THE ACFT DRIFTED TO THE LEFT SIDE OF THE RWY, THE LEFT MAIN GEAR STRUCK A SNOWBANK & THE ACFT NOSED OVER.
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: student
- Ratings: single-engine land
- Flight time: 61 hours in all; 29 in this make and model; 61 in the last 90 days; 17 as pilot in command
- Medical certificate: Class 3 (valid medical--w/ waivers/lim.)
- Seat: left
The aircraft
- Airframe total time: 2,306 hours
- Last inspection: annual inspection, October 30, 1986
- Maximum gross weight: 2,150 lb
- Seats: 4
- Landing gear: fixed
- Engine: Lycoming O-320-H2AD (piston); 0 hours total
The flight
- Departed from: N06 Laurel DE at 4:00 pm
- Destination: 17N
- Flight plan: VFR
- Runway 9, 3,503 ft by 50 ft
Weather at the time
- Light: daylight
- Wind: at 5 knots
- Visibility: 10 statute miles
- Sky: scat at 10,000 ft
- Temperature: 59°F (15°C), dew point 0°F (-18°C)
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.
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.