Aerostar 600 and Piper PA-60-600 accident near Columbus, Ohio, September 11, 1987
On September 11, 1987 at about 1:20 am local time, 2 aircraft, Aerostar 600 (N8073J) and Piper PA-60-600 (N3643D), were involved in the same accident near Columbus, Ohio (Columbus airport). 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
- September 11, 1987 · about 1:20 am local time
- Place
- Columbus, Ohio · Columbus · map
- Type
- Accident · collision on the ground
- Injuries
- No one was hurt; 2 people were on board or involved.
- Weather
- visual conditions (good weather)
- Aircraft 1
- Aerostar 600
- Registration
- N8073J · no longer on the register · serial 600556180
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Flight of an unrecorded kind · charter and air-taxi rules (Part 135)
- Aircraft 2
- Piper PA-60-600 · all PA-60-600s on the register
- Registration
- N3643D · registry record · serial 600835816123
- Damage
- Minor damage
- Flight
- Flight of an unrecorded kind · charter and air-taxi rules (Part 135)
The NTSB's narrative for the Aerostar 600 final · quoted from the NTSB record
THE SCHEDULED ALL CARGO FLT WAS HOLDING ON A TAXIWAY SHORT OF THE RWY AWAITING ITS IFR CLEARANCE OUT OF THE HUB ARPT. SUDDENLY THE ACFT DIPPED DOWN AT THE NOSE AND THEN THE YOKE JUMPED REARWARD AND HIT THE PLT IN THE CHEST. THE PLT CALLED GROUND CONTROL AND REQUESTED TAXI BACK TO THE RAMP. THE PLT DID NOT INFORM GROUND CONTROL THAT A COLLISION BETWEEN THE TWO COMPANY AIRCRAFT HAD OCCURRED. EACH AIRCRAFT WAS TAXIED BACK TO THE RAMP UNDER ITS OWN POWER WITHOUT BENEFIT OF ANY EXTERNAL EXAMINATION BY ANYONE.
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 NTSB's narrative for the Piper PA-60-600 final · quoted from the NTSB record
THE SCHEDULED DOMESTIC ALL CARGO FLT WAS TAXIING FROM THE RAMP TO THE RWY BEHIND ANOTHER COMPANY ACFT WHEN THE PLT SUDDENLY REALIZED THAT THE LEAD ACFT WAS NOT MOVING. THE PLTS ATTEMPTS TO STOP THE ACFT WERE NOT SUCCESSFUL. THE STOPPED ACFT WAS SUBSTANTIALLY DAMAGED. AFTER THE COLLISION THE LEAD ACFT CALLED FOR TAXI BACK TO THE RAMP. THIS ACFT TURNED AROUND AND TAXIIED BACK TO THE RAMP WITHOUT CONTACTING GROUND CONTROL. NEITHER ACFT WAS SHUT DOWN AND EXAMINED BY EITHER THE PLT OR GROUND PERSONNEL PRIOR TO RETURNING TO THE RAMP.
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 for the Aerostar 600 from the NTSB's investigation tables, in plain English
Pilot
- Certificate: flight instructor, commercial pilot
- Ratings: multi-engine land; single-engine land; instructor: airplane single-engine; instructor: instrument airplane; instrument: airplane
- Flight time: 3,700 hours in all; 1,050 in this make and model; 265 in the last 90 days; 3,500 as pilot in command
- Medical certificate: Class 2
- Seat: left
The aircraft
- Airframe total time: 6,889 hours
- Last inspection: inspection type not recorded, January 14, 1987
- Maximum gross weight: 6,000 lb
- Seats: 6
- Landing gear: retractable
- Engine: Lycoming IO-540 (piston); 0 hours total
- Operator: New Creations,Inc.
The flight
- Flight plan: IFR
- Runway 0
Weather at the time
- Light: night, dark
- Wind: from 100° at 8 knots
- Visibility: 8 statute miles
- Sky: overcast at 5,000 ft; not recorded
- Temperature: 75°F (24°C), dew point 63°F (17°C)
- Altimeter: 29.00 inHg
Injuries
| Fatal | Serious | Minor | None | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Crew | 1 |
The factual record for the Piper PA-60-600 from the NTSB's investigation tables, in plain English
Pilot
- Certificate: flight instructor, commercial pilot
- Ratings: multi-engine land; single-engine land; instructor: airplane single-engine; instructor: instrument airplane; instrument: airplane
- Flight time: 5,390 hours in all; 456 in this make and model; 210 in the last 90 days; 5,230 as pilot in command
- Medical certificate: Class 2 (valid medical--no waivers/lim.)
- Seat: left
The aircraft
- Airframe total time: 4,262 hours
- Last inspection: annual inspection, October 3, 1986; 739 hours since
- Maximum gross weight: 6,000 lb
- Landing gear: retractable
- Engine: Lycoming IO-540-K1J5 (piston); 0 hours total
- Operator: New Creations,Inc.
The flight
- Flight plan: IFR
- Runway 0
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.
Other NTSB records under N8073J 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.