Piper PA-23-250 accident near Wilkesboro, North Carolina, January 22, 1987
On January 22, 1987 at about 12:30 pm local time, a Piper PA-23-250, registered N2489R, was substantially damaged in an accident near Wilkesboro, North Carolina (Wilkes County airport). It was a personal flight under general aviation rules (Part 91). No one was hurt; 4 people were on board or involved. The weather was instrument conditions (cloud, fog or low visibility).
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
- January 22, 1987 · about 12:30 pm local time
- Place
- Wilkesboro, North Carolina · Wilkes County · map
- Type
- Accident
- Injuries
- No one was hurt; 4 people were on board or involved.
- Weather
- instrument conditions (cloud, fog or low visibility)
- Aircraft
- Piper PA-23-250 · all PA-23-250s on the register
- Registration
- N2489R · no longer on the register · serial 27-8154D28
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Personal flight · general aviation rules (Part 91)
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
DURING A TAKEOFF ATTEMPT, THE RIGHT SEAT PILOT DID NOT GET AN AIRSPEED INDICATION. HOWEVER, THE LEFT AIRSPEED INDICATED 45 MPH WHEN THE PILOT ABORTED THE TAKEOFF. THE AIRCRAFT VEERED OFF THE RIGHT SIDE OF THE RUNWAY 1700 FEET FROM THE INITIAL TAKEOFF ROLL. RUNWAY 06 IS 4250 FEET LONG. THE PLANNED LIFTOFF SPEED SHOULD HAVE BEEN 80 MPH AT 5000 POUNDS GROSS WEIGHT WITH A TOTAL TAKEOFF DISTANCE OF 1200 FEET. THIS TAKEOFF DATA IS BASED UPON A LEVEL, DRY, PAVED SURFACE. FAA ADVISORY CIRCULAR 91-6A STATES THAT TAKEOFF SHOULD NOT BE ATTEMPTED WITH GREATER THAN 1/2 INCH OF WET SNOW ON THE RWY SURFACE. THE PLT REPORTED THAT THE RWY WAS COVERED WITH 4 INCHES SNOW
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: airline transport pilot
- Ratings: multi-engine land; single-engine land; single-engine sea; instructor: airplane multi-engine; instructor: airplane single-engine; instrument: airplane; rotorcraft: helicopter
- Flight time: 5,782 hours in all; 225 in this make and model; 113 in the last 90 days; 5,575 as pilot in command; 207 on instruments
- Medical certificate: Class 1 (valid medical--w/ waivers/lim.)
- Seat: rgt
The aircraft
- Airframe total time: 1,133 hours
- Last inspection: annual inspection, November 1, 1986; 39 hours since
- Maximum gross weight: 5,200 lb
- Seats: 6
- Landing gear: retractable
- Engine: Lycoming IO-540 SER (piston); 0 hours total
The flight
- Departed from: Wilkesboro NC at 12:30 pm
- Destination: Allentown PA
- Flight plan: IFR
- Runway 6, 4,250 ft by 75 ft
Weather at the time
- Light: dawn
- Wind: from 360° at 6 knots
- Sky: not recorded
- Temperature: 30°F (-1°C), dew point 30°F (-1°C)
- Altimeter: 29.00 inHg
- Observation at 12:54 pm from HKY, 270 miles away
Injuries
| Fatal | Serious | Minor | None | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Crew | 2 | |||
| Passengers | 2 |
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.