- Date
- June 15, 1987, 21:00 local (Jun 16, 1987, 02:00 UTC)
- Place
- Bowling Green, KY
- Injuries
- 4 fatal
- Damage
- Destroyed
- Phase of flight
- Enroute
- Aircraft
- N1823ZCessna 205C
- Weather
- Visual (VMC) · Night/dark
- Status
- Completed · report October 7, 1988
- Report
- Approved by Office Director
- FAA report
- 19870615080259A
- Case key
- 7301
From the NTSB’s public API. By law, NTSB reports can’t be used as evidence in lawsuits over the accident.
On this page
Sequence of events
NTSB’s coding before 2008: each occurrence and phase of flight, and the causes and factors under it. The codes are defined in NTSB’s coding manual.
Analysis
Shortly after takeoff from Bowling Green, the pilot reported a problem. He did not report the details of the problem, but witnesses heard the aircraft backfiring as it descended. The aircraft had taken on fuel at Bowling Green. The investigation failed to conclusively determine the cause of the reported aircraft problem. The impact and post crash fire destroyed the airframe and prevented a complete inspection of the engine's ignition and fuel systems. However, the engine examination failed to disclose any mechanical problems. The exam disclosed that both the piston and valve tops were free of combustion carbon.
Aircraft
- Registration
- N1823Z
- Reported as
- Cessna 205C
- Category
- Airplane
- Serial number
- 2050023
- Engine
- Continental IO-470, 260 horsepower, reciprocating
- Damage
- Destroyed
- Fire
- On-Ground
- Flight
- Personal · Part 91
- Operator
- Zeemack Aircraft Sales
- Registered owner
- Zeemack Aircraft Sales
- Airworthiness certificate
- Standard, Normal
- Destination
- 3HA · Lansing, IL
- Flight plan
- Unknown
- Airport
- BWG · Bowling Green, runway 27, 6,500 × 150 ft, macadam
Matched to the registry by N-number and the event date; the registry’s history has gaps, so older matches can be wrong. Compare the reported make and model.
Flight crew
As NTSB recorded them. NTSB leaves out names.
- Role
- Pilot
- Age
- 23
- Certificates
- Commercial, Flight instructor
- Airplane ratings
- Single-engine land, Multi-engine land
- Instrument ratings
- Airplane
- Medical
- Class 2, Valid Medical--w/ waivers/lim
- Seat
- Left
- Toxicology
- Performed
- Flight hours
- 1,069 total · 27 in this make and model · 60 in the last 30 days
Weather
- Conditions
- Visual (VMC) · Night/dark
- Wind
- 170° at 4 knots
- Visibility
- 5 statute miles
- Temperature
- 79 °F, dew point 68 °F
- Altimeter
- 29.00 inHg
- Observed at
- BWG
FAA reports on this event · 1
The FAA’s own accident and incident reports, matched to the aircraft by N-number and date.