Piper PA-28-180 accident near Hazard, Kentucky, June 16, 1987
On June 16, 1987 at about 11:00 pm local time, a Piper PA-28-180, registered N8021W, was substantially damaged in an accident near Hazard, Kentucky (Eastern Kentucky Regional 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
- June 16, 1987 · about 11:00 pm local time
- Place
- Hazard, Kentucky · Eastern Kentucky Regional · map
- Type
- Accident
- Injuries
- No one was hurt; 3 people were on board or involved.
- Weather
- visual conditions (good weather)
- Aircraft
- Piper PA-28-180 · all PA-28-180s on the register
- Registration
- N8021W · registry record · serial 28-2086
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Personal flight · general aviation rules (Part 91)
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
THE PLT OBSERVED THE REAR OF THE UPPER ENGINE COWLING LIFT UP SHORTLY AFTER TAKEOFF AND HE BECAME CONCERNED THAT THE COWLING MIGHT COME OFF THE AIRPLANE DURING FLIGHT. THE PILOT ATTEMPTED TO MANEUVER THE AIRPLANE BACK TO THE AIRPORT TO LAND, THE AIRPLANE STALLED AND IMPACTED TERRAIN ADJACENT TO THE RUNWAY. DURING PREFLIGHT EXAMINATION OF THE AIRPLANE THEPILOT REMOVED AND REPLACED THE COWLING.
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: 323 hours in all; 302 in this make and model; 70 in the last 90 days; 287 as pilot in command
- Medical certificate: Class 3 (valid medical--w/ waivers/lim.)
- Seat: left
The aircraft
- Airframe total time: 4,658 hours
- Last inspection: annual inspection, November 1, 1986
- Maximum gross weight: 2,175 lb
- Seats: 4
- Landing gear: fixed
- Engine: Lycoming O-360-A3A (piston); 0 hours total
The flight
- Flight plan: none
- Runway 6, 3,240 ft by 60 ft
Weather at the time
- Light: daylight
- Wind: from 135° at 10 knots, gusting 12
- Visibility: 7 statute miles
- 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.