Piper PA-28R-180 accident near Lebanon, Tennessee, April 4, 1987
On April 4, 1987 at about 6:30 pm local time, a Piper PA-28R-180, registered N4974J, was substantially damaged in an accident near Lebanon, Tennessee (Lebanon Municipal airport). It was a personal flight under general aviation rules (Part 91). No one was hurt; 3 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
- April 4, 1987 · about 6:30 pm local time
- Place
- Lebanon, Tennessee · Lebanon Municipal · map
- Type
- Accident
- Injuries
- No one was hurt; 3 people were on board or involved.
- Weather
- visual conditions (good weather)
- Aircraft
- Piper PA-28R-180 · all PA-28R-180s on the register
- Registration
- N4974J · no longer on the register · serial 28R-30726
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Personal flight · general aviation rules (Part 91)
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
THE PLT REPORTED THAT HE MADE A VFR PATTERN FOR LANDING ON RWY 18 AT HIS DESTINATION. THE WIND WAS 'HARD' AND 'STRAIGHT DOWN THE RWY.' HE REPORTED THAT, 'ALL OF A SUDDEN IT SEEMED AS THOUGH THE WIND QUIT AND THE AIRPLANE STARTED TO FALL.' THE ACFT HIT HARD SHORT OF THE RWY, BOUNCED, STRUCK A VASI LIGHT, CROSSED A DITCH, A TAXIWAY AND CAME TO REST IN A DITCH ON THE SOUTH SIDE OF THE TAXIWAY. THIS ACCIDENT WAS NOT REPORTED UNTIL 9 DAYS LATER.
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: 604 hours in all; 25 in this make and model; 10 in the last 90 days; 538 as pilot in command
- Medical certificate: Class 3 (valid medical--w/ waivers/lim.)
- Seat: left
The aircraft
- Airframe total time: 2,839 hours
- Last inspection: 100-hour inspection, January 20, 1987; 35 hours since
- Maximum gross weight: 2,500 lb
- Seats: 4
- Landing gear: retractable
- Engine: Lycoming IO-360-B1E (piston); 0 hours total
- Operator: Hester Aircraft Service
The flight
- Departed from: SRB Sparta TN at 3:00 pm
- Flight plan: none
- Runway 36, 3,500 ft by 75 ft
Weather at the time
- Light: daylight
- Wind: from 180° at 30 knots
- Sky: clear
- Temperature: 0°F (-18°C), dew point 0°F (-18°C)
Injuries
| Fatal | Serious | Minor | None | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Crew | 1 | |||
| 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.