NTSB CHI87LA086 — 1987-02-20 · CAMP DOUGLAS, Wisconsin, United States

Current FAA registration · N4601V

Make / Model: CESSNA 172RG
Year of manufacture: 1980 · 7 years old at event
Engine: LYCOMING O&VO-360 SER (180 hp)
Seats / Engines: 4 seats · 1 engine
Last airworthiness date: 19800225
ADS-B equipped: Yes — Mode-S A59C2A

Source: FAA Aircraft Registry (releasable master file).

Aircraft involved

N4601V Cessna 172RG Fatal

Factual narrative

THE PASSENGER RPRTD THAT ABOUT 5 MIN AFTER TAKEOFF, THE PLT BECAME INCAPACITATED & WAS NO LONGER ABLE TO MAINTAIN CONTROL OF THE ACFT. THE NON-CERTIFICATED PASSENGER ASSUMED CONTROL. WITH THE ASSISTANCE (INSTRUCTIONS) FROM AN AIRBORNE FLT INSTRUCTOR & AN INSTRUCTOR IN THE CONTROL TOWER AT VOLK ANG BASE, THE PASSENGER WAS ABLE TO MAKE A LANDING, BUT THE ACFT WAS DAMAGED DURING THE OCCURRENCE. A PATHOLOGICAL EXAM REVEALED THERE WAS A COMPLETE DISSECTION OF ASCENDING AORTA, CIRCUMFERENTIAL, 3 CM ABOVE THE AORTIC VALVE WITH CYSTIC MEDIAL NECROSIS & A SUBSEQUENT CARDIAC TAMPONADE. Source: NTSB Aviation Accident Database (Pre-2008 Archive) Retrieved: 2026-02-12

Verbatim from NTSB's published report. Source file NTSB_1987_CHI87LA086.txt. Findings + structured fields enriched from FAA avall.mdb. Full investigation docket on data.ntsb.gov ↗.

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