Piper PA-28-140 accident near Foley, Alabama, July 19, 1987
On July 19, 1987 at about 5:00 pm local time, a Piper PA-28-140, registered N4808T, was substantially damaged in an accident near Foley, Alabama (Foley Muncicipal airport). It was an instructional flight under general aviation rules (Part 91). 1 person had minor injuries. 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 November 2, 2026. Docket and reports at the NTSB.
What the record shows
- Date
- July 19, 1987 · about 5:00 pm local time · cases in 1987
- Place
- Foley, Alabama · Foley Muncicipal · cases near this airport
- Type
- Accident
- Injuries
- 1 person had minor injuries.
- Weather
- visual conditions (good weather)
- Aircraft
- Piper PA-28-140 · all PA-28-140s on the register
- Registration
- N4808T · registry record · serial 287225210
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Instructional flight · general aviation rules (Part 91)
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
THE STUDENT PLT FAILED TO MAINTAIN DIRECTIONAL CONTROL DURING A CROSSWIND LDG ON RWY 36. THE AIRPLANE DRIFTED TO THE LEFT OF THE RUNWAY AND SUBSEQUENTLY IMPACTED TREES. THE STUDENT PLT WAS ON HIS SECOND UNSUPERVISED SOLO FLIGHT. HE REPORTED THAT HE DID NOT GET A WEATHER BRIEFING PRIOR TO DEPARTING THE ARPT ON A LOCAL FLT ABOUT 1 HR BEFORE. HE ESTIMATED THE THE WINDS WERE FROM THE NE AT 15 GUSTING TO 20 KTS AT THE TIME OF THE ACCIDENT. THE WINDS AT NPA, LOCATED 20 MILES ESE, WERE REPORTED AT 1150 CDT TO BE FROM 080 DEG AT 14 GUSTING TO 18 KTS.
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: student
- Flight time: 15 hours in all; 15 in this make and model; 14 in the last 90 days; 3 in the last 30 days; 3 as pilot in command
- Medical certificate: Class 3 (valid medical--no waivers/lim.)
- Seat: left
The aircraft
- Airframe total time: 5,019 hours
- Last inspection: 100-hour inspection, May 7, 1987
- Maximum gross weight: 2,050 lb
- Seats: 4
- Landing gear: fixed
- Engine: Lycoming O-320 (piston); 0 hours total
The flight
- Flight plan: none
- Runway 36, 3,700 ft by 75 ft
Weather at the time
- Light: daylight
- Wind: from 080° at 14 knots, gusting 18
- Visibility: 7 statute miles
- Sky: broken clouds at 25,000 ft; scat at 2,000 ft
- Temperature: 88°F (31°C), dew point 63°F (17°C)
- Altimeter: 30.00 inHg
- Observation at 4:50 pm from NPA, 20 miles away
Injuries
| Fatal | Serious | Minor | None | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Crew | 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.
Connections how this case links to the rest of the register
- N4808T on the register today · the tail number may have moved to another aircraft since
- Piper PA-28 Cherokee, Warrior, Archer and Arrow 18,620 registered today · the model family and its accident history
- Piper 44,840 aircraft on the register
- Engine: Lycoming O-320 27,304 aircraft carry this series today · as the NTSB recorded it
- Holk Field AT Foley Municipal · nearest airport
- Accidents and incidents in Alabama 1,211 since 1982 · 173 in the last ten years
- Alabama 4,356 aircraft registered
The whole map of how records connect · these connections as data: /graph/accident/ATL87LA218.json.
The bigger picture in Aviation Analytics: accidents over time since 1982, by model, by phase of flight and conditions, by place and on the map.
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 does not name anyone involved, its policy at this time. A preliminary report can change; the final report usually follows one to two years later, and the page is refreshed when it does.