Piper PA-28-181 accident near Gulf Shores, Alabama, July 8, 1987
On July 8, 1987 at about 8:00 pm local time, a Piper PA-28-181, registered N8389Y, was substantially damaged in an accident near Gulf Shores, Alabama (Jack Edwards 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
- July 8, 1987 · about 8:00 pm local time
- Place
- Gulf Shores, Alabama · Jack Edwards · map
- Type
- Accident
- Injuries
- No one was hurt; 3 people were on board or involved.
- Weather
- visual conditions (good weather)
- Aircraft
- Piper PA-28-181 · all PA-28-181s on the register
- Registration
- N8389Y · no longer on the register · serial 288190240
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Personal flight · general aviation rules (Part 91)
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
THE PLT ABORTED THE TAKEOFF ABOUT HALF WAY DOWN THE 3600 FT RWY AFTER OBSERVING THAT THE AIRSPEED INDICATOR WAS INOP. BEFORE HE COULD STOP THE ACFT, IT RAN OFF THE END OF THE RWY & WENT INTO A DITCH. AN EXAM BY AN A&P MECHANIC REVEALED THAT THE PITOT HEAD WAS OBSTRUCTED BY A MUD DAUBER NEST. THE OBSTRUCTION WAS NOT VISIBLE THRU THE PITOT OPENING. THE MECHANIC NOTED THAT THIS TYPE OF PROBLEM WAS COMMON AT THAT ARPT. THE ACFT HAD BEEN FLOWN SVRL DAYS BEFORE THE ACDNT WITH NO PROBLEMS. THE PLT OPERATING HANDBOOK RECOMMENDED THAT A PITOT COVER BE USED WHENEVER THE ACFT WAS NOT IN USE.
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: 406 hours in all; 49 in this make and model; 17 in the last 90 days
- Medical certificate: Class 3 (valid medical--w/ waivers/lim.)
- Seat: left
The aircraft
- Last inspection: annual inspection
- Maximum gross weight: 2,450 lb
- Seats: 4
- Landing gear: fixed
- Engine: Lycoming O-360 (piston); 0 hours total
The flight
- Flight plan: none
- Runway 17, 3,600 ft by 100 ft
Weather at the time
- Light: daylight
- Wind: from 135° at 5 knots
- Visibility: 10 statute miles
- Sky: broken clouds at 25,000 ft; scat at 3,000 ft
- Temperature: 91°F (33°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.
Other NTSB records under N8389Y the same tail number, which may have belonged to a different aircraft at the time
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.