Cessna 172P accident near Plainfield, Connecticut, August 4, 1987
On August 4, 1987 at about 10:30 pm local time, a Cessna 172P, registered N99171, was substantially damaged in an accident near Plainfield, Connecticut (Robertson 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).
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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
- August 4, 1987 · about 10:30 pm local time
- Place
- Plainfield, Connecticut · Robertson
- Type
- Accident
- Injuries
- No one was hurt; 1 person was on board or involved.
- Weather
- visual conditions (good weather)
- Aircraft
- Cessna 172P · all 172Ps on the register
- Registration
- N99171 · registry record · serial 17276414
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Personal flight · general aviation rules (Part 91)
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
WHILE LANDING IN CROSSWIND CONDITIONS, THE PILOT FAILED TO COMPENSATE FOR THE CONDITIONS AND LOST DIRECTIONAL CONTROL OF THE AIRCRAFT. THE AIRCRAFT WENT DOWN AN EMBANKMENT, COLLIDED WITH A FENCE AND THEN FLIPPED INVERTED.
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: 101 hours in all; 3 in this make and model; 2 in the last 90 days; 43 as pilot in command
- Medical certificate: Class 3 (valid medical--w/ waivers/lim.)
- Seat: left
The aircraft
- Airframe total time: 864 hours
- Last inspection: annual inspection, April 15, 1987; 63 hours since
- Maximum gross weight: 2,150 lb
- Seats: 4
- Landing gear: fixed
- Engine: Lycoming O-320-D2J (piston); 0 hours total
- Operator: Interstate Aviation,Inc.
The flight
- Flight plan: none
- Runway 2, 3,116 ft by 75 ft
Weather at the time
- Light: daylight
- Wind: from 290° at 10 knots, gusting 20
- Sky: scat at 5,000 ft
- Temperature: 75°F (24°C), dew point 0°F (-18°C)
- Altimeter: 30.00 inHg
Injuries
| Fatal | Serious | Minor | None | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Crew | 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 NYC87LA213.