Piper PA-28-140 accident near Falmouth, Kentucky, August 9, 1987
On August 9, 1987 at about 7:30 pm local time, a Piper PA-28-140, registered N15468, was destroyed in an accident near Falmouth, Kentucky. It was a personal flight under general aviation rules (Part 91). No one was hurt; 2 people were on board or involved. The weather was visual conditions (good weather).
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 5, 2026. Docket and reports at the NTSB.
What the record shows
- Date
- August 9, 1987 · about 7:30 pm local time
- Place
- Falmouth, Kentucky · map
- Type
- Accident
- Injuries
- No one was hurt; 2 people were on board or involved.
- Weather
- visual conditions (good weather)
- Aircraft
- Piper PA-28-140 · all PA-28-140s on the register
- Registration
- N15468 · no longer on the register · serial 28-7325072
- Damage
- Destroyed
- Flight
- Personal flight · general aviation rules (Part 91)
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
THE PLT, WITH A PAX, HAD BEEN MAKING TOUCH AND GO LANDINGS AT THE LCL APT FOR ABOUT 40 MIN. THE FINAL T.O. WAS PRECEDED BY A FULL STOP LDG. SHORTLY AFTER LIFT OFF, THE PLT REPTD THAT THE ACFT LOST PWR AND HE WAS UNABLE TO CLEAR A TREE AT THE TOP OF A RIDGE LINE. SUBSEQUENT INSPECTION REVEALED THAT THE RIGID HOUSING AT THE ENGINE END OF THE THROTTLE CABLE HAD FRACTURED ALLOWING THE CABLE TO DISPLACE TO THE SIDE RATHER THAN PUSH THE THROTTLE OPEN. ONE END OF THE RIGID HOUSING WAS ATTACHED TO THE ENGINE AND THE OTHER ACTED AS A SLEEVE FOR THE THROTTLE ARM PUSHROD TO THE CARBURETOR THROTTLE CONTROL ARM.
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: 98 hours in all; 42 in this make and model; 10 in the last 90 days; 64 as pilot in command
- Medical certificate: Class 2 (valid medical--w/ waivers/lim.)
- Seat: left
The aircraft
- Last inspection: annual inspection, December 15, 1986; 18 hours since
- Maximum gross weight: 2,150 lb
- Seats: 4
- Landing gear: fixed
- Engine: Lycoming O-320-E3D (piston); 0 hours total
The flight
- Flight plan: none
- Runway 0
Weather at the time
- Light: daylight
- Wind: from 270° at 8 knots
- Visibility: 10 statute miles
- Sky: clear
- Temperature: 88°F (31°C), dew point 0°F (-18°C)
- Altimeter: 30.00 inHg
- Observation at 9:50 pm from CVG, 28 miles away
Injuries
| Fatal | Serious | Minor | None | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Crew | 1 | |||
| Passengers | 1 |
Documents from the investigation the NTSB's docket: the evidence folder behind the report
The docket, the folder of records gathered during an investigation (maintenance records, photographs, witness statements, examinations), has not been read from the NTSB for this case yet; the list appears here once it has. Open the docket at the NTSB.
Everything on this page comes from the NTSB's public records. The narrative, probable cause and findings are the NTSB's own words; the coded tables behind the report are written out in plain English, with pilots' ages, home towns and medical details left out. The documents and photographs are the NTSB's docket, shown as the NTSB released them. This site's own text never names anyone involved. A preliminary report can change; the final report usually follows one to two years later, and the page is refreshed when it does.