Cessna 172 accident near Atlantic City, New Jersey, May 16, 1987
On May 16, 1987 at about 9:00 pm local time, a Cessna 172, registered N734EM, was substantially damaged in an accident near Atlantic City, New Jersey (Bader Field). 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).
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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
- May 16, 1987 · about 9:00 pm local time
- Place
- Atlantic City, New Jersey · Bader Field
- Type
- Accident
- Injuries
- No one was hurt; 2 people were on board or involved.
- Weather
- visual conditions (good weather)
- Aircraft
- Cessna 172 · all 172s on the register
- Registration
- N734EM · registry record · serial 17268797
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Personal flight · general aviation rules (Part 91)
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
ACCORDING TO A WITNESS, THE ACFT WAS HI & FAST ON FINAL APCH TO LND & TOUCHED DOWN NOSEWHEEL 1ST IN A X-WIND. DRG THE LNDG, THE ACFT BOUNCED, THEN DRIFTED TO THE LEFT & TOUCHED DOWN ON WET GRASS BESIDE THE RWY. SUBSEQUENTLY, THE LEFT MAIN WHEEL STRUT HIT A RWY MARKER & COLLAPSED. BEFORE COMING TO REST, THE LEFT WING & LEFT HORIZONTAL STABILIZER WERE ALSO DAMAGED.
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: 96 hours in all; 12 in this make and model; 7 in the last 90 days; 60 as pilot in command
- Medical certificate: Class 3 (valid medical--w/ waivers/lim.)
- Seat: left
The aircraft
- Airframe total time: 1,210 hours
- Last inspection: annual inspection; 20 hours since
- Maximum gross weight: 2,150 lb
- Seats: 4
- Landing gear: fixed
- Engine: Lycoming O-320-H2AD (piston); 0 hours total
The flight
- Departed from: Ocean City NJ at 3:45 pm
- Flight plan: none
- Runway 11, 2,950 ft by 100 ft
Weather at the time
- Light: daylight
- Wind: from 180° at 12 knots, gusting 20
- Visibility: 15 statute miles
- Sky: clear
- Temperature: 70°F (21°C), dew point 0°F (-18°C)
- Altimeter: 30.00 inHg
Injuries
| Fatal | Serious | Minor | None | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Crew | 1 | |||
| Passengers | 1 |
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 NYC87LA149.