Piper PA-25-235 accident near Ardmore, Alabama, August 5, 1987
On August 5, 1987 at about 4:30 pm local time, a Piper PA-25-235, registered N9867P, was substantially damaged in an accident near Ardmore, Alabama (Ardmore airport). It was an aerial application (crop spraying) flight under agricultural flying rules (Part 137). No one was hurt; 1 person was 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
- August 5, 1987 · about 4:30 pm local time
- Place
- Ardmore, Alabama · Ardmore · map
- Type
- Accident
- Injuries
- No one was hurt; 1 person was on board or involved.
- Weather
- visual conditions (good weather)
- Aircraft
- Piper PA-25-235 · all PA-25-235s on the register
- Registration
- N9867P · registry record · serial 257556191
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Aerial application (crop spraying) flight · agricultural flying rules (Part 137)
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
THE ENGINE LOST PWR DURING INITIAL CLIMB AT ABOUT 150 FT AGL SHORTLY AFTER THE PLT TURNED THE FUEL BOOST PUMP OFF. A FORCED LDG WAS SUBSEQUENTLY MADE ON A NEARBY INTERSTATE HWY. THE PLT DELAYED THE LDG TO AVOID HITTING AUTOS ON THE HWY AND A HARD LDG RESULTED. THE SUSPECTED CAUSE OF THE PWR LOSS WAS FUEL VAPOR LOCK. THE ENGINE WAS TEST-RUN AFTER THE ACCIDENT AND THAT NO PROBLEMS WERE FOUND. THE AIRPLANE WAS FUELED WITH 87 OCTANE AUTO GAS. THE AMBIENT TEMPERATURE WAS ABOUT 90 DEG F. THE ARPT ELEVATION IS 920 FT MSL. THE DENSITY ALTITUDE AT THE ARPT WAS CALCULATED TO BE APPROX 3,200 FT. ACCORDING TO FAA RECORDS, THE AIRPLANE WAS NOT STC'D TO OPERATE ON AUTO GAS. PIPER MANDATORY SERVICE BULLETIN #855 DATED 1-14-87 PROHIBITS THE USE OF AUTO FUEL IN PIPER AIRPLANES.
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: 352 hours in all; 5 in this make and model; 4 in the last 90 days; 300 as pilot in command
- Medical certificate: Class 3 (valid medical--no waivers/lim.)
- Seat: ctr
The aircraft
- Airframe total time: 2,969 hours
- Last inspection: 100-hour inspection, July 20, 1987; 13 hours since
- Maximum gross weight: 2,900 lb
- Seats: 1
- Landing gear: fixed
- Engine: Lycoming O-540-B2C5 (piston); 0 hours total
The flight
- Flight plan: none
- Runway 0
Weather at the time
- Light: daylight
- Wind: from 135° at 5 knots
- Visibility: 5 statute miles
- Sky: scat at 5,000 ft
- Temperature: 90°F (32°C), dew point 0°F (-18°C)
- Altimeter: 29.00 inHg
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.
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.