- Date
- November 14, 1987, 06:50 local (12:50 UTC)
- Place
- Lancaster, TX
- Injuries
- 4 fatal
- Damage
- Destroyed
- Phase of flight
- Initial climb
- Aircraft
- N8980JPiper PA-28-180
- Weather
- Instrument (IMC) · Dawn
- Status
- Completed · report May 26, 1989
- Report
- Approved by Office Director
- FAA report
- 19871114082109A
- Case key
- 22526
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
The pilot received a weather report indicating that IFR conditions prevailed. After takeoff the airplane traveled approximately 1/2 mile before it crashed. Pilot was not instrument rated and had very little total time. He did have three hours of night time and two hours of simulated instruments, but no actual instrument training. Impact marks indicate that the acft crashed rt wing first with the nose down about 45 degrees. The wreckage traveled for a total of 144 ft. the front of the acft was demolished. The rt wing has separated into several pieces. The fuselage was broken open on the rt side. The eng & prop were pushed under the instrument panel. Continuity was established between the flt controls and control surfaces. Continuity was established through the eng. An eng teardown was not performed. One witness saw the takeoff but no one saw the descent or crash because of low visibility. Four persons reported hearing the acft fly over at low alt with revving eng and 3 of them heard the crash.
Aircraft
- Registration
- N8980J
- Reported as
- Piper PA-28-180
- Category
- Airplane
- Serial number
- 28-3003
- Airframe hours
- 1,728
- Engine
- Lycoming O-360-A3A, 180 horsepower, reciprocating
- Damage
- Destroyed
- Flight
- Business · Part 91
- Operator
- Jba Construction Co. Inc.
- Registered owner
- J.B.A. Construction Co.
- Airworthiness certificate
- Standard, Normal
- Last inspection
- Annual · February 3, 1987 · 130 hours before
- Departed
- LNC
- Destination
- 5F1 · Post, TX
- Airport
- LNC · Lancaster, runway 13, 3,700 × 50 ft, asphalt
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
- 41
- Certificate
- Private
- Airplane ratings
- Single-engine land
- Medical
- Class 3, Valid Medical--no waivers/lim.
- Seat
- Left
- Toxicology
- Performed
- Flight hours
- 74 total · 53 in this make and model · 30 as pilot in command
Weather
- Conditions
- Instrument (IMC) · Dawn
- Wind
- 160° at 8 knots
- Visibility
- 4 statute miles
- Lowest ceiling
- 400 ft overcast
- Temperature
- 52 °F, dew point 52 °F
- Altimeter
- 29.00 inHg
- Observed at
- FTW, 30 nm away
FAA reports on this event · 1
The FAA’s own accident and incident reports, matched to the aircraft by N-number and date.