Cessna 172P and Beech C23 mid-air collision near Bedford, Massachusetts, October 17, 1987
On October 17, 1987 at about 9:38 pm local time, 2 aircraft, Cessna 172P (N97313) and Beech C23 (N6718Z), were involved in a mid-air collision near Bedford, Massachusetts (Hanscom Field). 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 September 29, 2026. Docket and reports at the NTSB.
What the record shows
- Date
- October 17, 1987 · about 9:38 pm local time
- Place
- Bedford, Massachusetts · Hanscom Field
- Type
- Accident · mid-air collision
- Injuries
- No one was hurt; 2 people were on board or involved.
- Weather
- visual conditions (good weather)
- Aircraft 1
- Cessna 172P · all 172Ps on the register
- Registration
- N97313 · registry record · serial 17276177
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Personal flight · general aviation rules (Part 91)
- Aircraft 2
- Beech C23 · all C23s on the register
- Registration
- N6718Z · registry record · serial M2271
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Personal flight · general aviation rules (Part 91)
The NTSB's narrative for the Cessna 172P final · quoted from the NTSB record
A CESSNA 172, N97313, AND A BEECH C23, N6718Z, COLLIDED IN FLT AS THE PLTS OF BOTH ACFT WERE ARRIVING TO LAND ON RWY 11 AT HANSCOM FIELD. THE CESSNA PLT HAD PLANNED TO LAND AT BEVERLY, MA, BUT DIVERTED TO HANSOM FIELD DUE TO WX. THE CESSNA WAS IN A LEFT TURN AS THE 2 ACFT CONVERGED. THE BEECH PLT SAW THE CESSNA JUST BEFORE IMPACT & TOOK EVASIVE ACTION. DRG THE COLLISION, THE ELEVATOR OF THE BEECH C23 & THE RIGHT WING & PROP OF THE CESSNA 172 WERE DAMAGED; HOWEVER, BOTH PLTS WERE ABLE TO LAND SAFELY.
The NTSB's narratives can run to many pages; this is the opening. Read the full report at the NTSB.
The NTSB's narrative for the Beech C23 final · quoted from the NTSB record
A CESSNA 172, N97313, AND A BEECH C23, N6718Z, COLLIDED IN FLT AS THE PLTS OF BOTH ACFT WERE ARRIVING TO LAND ON RWY 11 AT HANSCOM FIELD. THE CESSNA PLT HAD PLANNED TO LAND AT BEVERLY, MA, BUT DIVERTED TO HANSOM FIELD DUE TO WX. THE CESSNA WAS IN A LEFT TURN AS THE 2 ACFT CONVERGED. THE BEECH PLT SAW THE CESSNA JUST BEFORE IMPACT & TOOK EVASIVE ACTION. DRG THE COLLISION, THE ELEVATOR OF THE BEECH C23 & THE RIGHT WING & PROP OF THE CESSNA 172 WERE DAMAGED; HOWEVER, BOTH PLTS WERE ABLE TO LAND SAFELY.
The NTSB's narratives can run to many pages; this is the opening. Read the full report at the NTSB.
Other NTSB records under N97313 the same tail number, which may have belonged to a different aircraft at the time
About this page
Everything above comes from the NTSB's public accident database and is rewritten in plain English only where the NTSB used codes; the probable cause and narrative are the NTSB's own words. 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 NYC88LA012.