Piper PA-28-180 accident near Franklin, North Carolina, June 8, 1987
On June 8, 1987 at about 11:50 am local time, a Piper PA-28-180, registered N3923R, was substantially damaged in an accident near Franklin, North Carolina. 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
- June 8, 1987 · about 11:50 am local time
- Place
- Franklin, North Carolina · map
- Type
- Accident
- Injuries
- No one was hurt; 2 people were on board or involved.
- Weather
- visual conditions (good weather)
- Aircraft
- Piper PA-28-180 · all PA-28-180s on the register
- Registration
- N3923R · registry record · serial 285831
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Personal flight · general aviation rules (Part 91)
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
A 17 INCH PORTION OF ONE OF THE PROP BLADES FRACTURED AND SEPARATED FROM THE 76 INCH DIA PROP WHILE THE ACFT WAS AT CRUISE. DURING THE FORCED LANDING THE ACFT STRUCK A FENCE POST. EXAMINATION OF THE PROP REVEALED THE PRESENCE OF FILIFORM CORROSION ACROSS THE BACKS OF BOTH BLADES. METALLURGICAL ANALYSIS OF THE FRACTURE SURFACE REVEALED THAT THE FRACTURE ORIGINATED AT A CORROSION PIT ON THE BLADE BACK. TOTAL TIME OF THE PROP WAS 2225 HRS, THE PROP WAS RECONDITIONED BY THE MFR 1241 HRS PRIOR TO THE ACCIDENT. THE MFR RECOMMENDS THAT THIS MODEL PROP BE RECONDITIONED EVERY 1000 HRS. THE ORIGINAL RECONDITIONING PROCEDURE SPECIFIED ANODIZING THE PROP AND PAINTING WITH LAQUER AFTER REPAIR. EXAMINATION OF THE PROP INDICATES THAT THIS WAS DONE. THE MFR HAS SINCE REVISED THE RECONDITIONING PROCEDURE TO USE A CHEMICAL CONVERSION COATING INSTEAD. THE MFR SPECIFIES THAT THE PROP BE FREQUENTLY WIPED WITH AN OILY RAG BETWEEN RECONDITIONINGS TO ASSIST IN CORROSION PREVENTION.
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; instrument: airplane
- Flight time: 535 hours in all; 131 in this make and model; 35 in the last 90 days; 449 as pilot in command
- Medical certificate: Class 2 (valid medical--no waivers/lim.)
- Seat: left
The aircraft
- Airframe total time: 2,225 hours
- Last inspection: annual inspection, October 28, 1986; 53 hours since
- Maximum gross weight: 2,175 lb
- Seats: 1
- Landing gear: fixed
- Engine: Lycoming O-360-A4A (piston); 0 hours total
The flight
- Departed from: 46A Blairsville GA at 11:00 am
- Destination: W44 Asheville NC
- Flight plan: none
- Runway 0
Weather at the time
- Light: daylight
- Wind: from 330° at 5 knots
- Visibility: 15 statute miles
- Sky: clear
- Temperature: 64°F (18°C), dew point 0°F (-18°C)
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.