Piper PA-28R-180 accident near Lexington, Kentucky, October 14, 1987
On October 14, 1987 at about 6:10 pm local time, a Piper PA-28R-180, registered N4639J, was substantially damaged in an accident near Lexington, Kentucky (Capital City airport). It was an instructional flight under general aviation rules (Part 91). 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
- October 14, 1987 · about 6:10 pm local time
- Place
- Lexington, Kentucky · Capital City · map
- Type
- Accident
- Injuries
- No one was hurt; 2 people were on board or involved.
- Weather
- visual conditions (good weather)
- Aircraft
- Piper PA-28R-180 · all PA-28R-180s on the register
- Registration
- N4639J · no longer on the register · serial 28R30529
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Instructional flight · general aviation rules (Part 91)
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
DURING A DUAL INSTRUCTIONAL FLIGHT THE STUDENT LEVELED THE ACFT ABV THE RWY DURING THE LANDING FLARE. THE CFI TOLD THE FAA INSPECTOR THAT HE WAS VERBALLY COACHING THE STUDENT AND DID NOT ASSUME THE FLT CONTROLS. THE ACFT LANDED HARD AND THE STUDENT APPLIED BRAKES WHICH RESULTED IN THE NOSE WHEEL TOUCHING DOWN HARD. PWR WAS APPLIED FOR A GO-AROUND AND A LOUD POP WAS HEARD. AFTER BECOMING AIRBORNE, THE CFI NOTED A TEAR IN THE RIGHT WING AND THE ACFT WAS FLOWN BACK TO HOME BASE. EXAM OF THE ACFT REVEALED THE FALSE SPAR HAD COLLAPSED.
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: flight instructor, commercial pilot
- Ratings: multi-engine land; single-engine land; instructor: airplane single-engine; instrument: airplane
- Flight time: 1,645 hours in all; 115 in this make and model; 147 in the last 90 days; 1,496 as pilot in command
- Medical certificate: Class 2 (valid medical--no waivers/lim.)
- Seat: rgt
The aircraft
- Airframe total time: 5,360 hours
- Last inspection: 100-hour inspection; 23 hours since
- Maximum gross weight: 2,500 lb
- Seats: 4
- Landing gear: retractable
- Engine: Lycoming IO-360-81E (piston); 0 hours total
- Operator: Aero Tech., INC.
The flight
- Departed from: LEX Lexington KY at 4:30 pm
- Flight plan: none
- Runway 24, 5,005 ft by 100 ft
- A second pilot was aboard
Weather at the time
- Light: daylight
- Wind: from 250° at 7 knots
- Visibility: 10 statute miles
- Sky: clear
- Temperature: 61°F (16°C), dew point 34°F (1°C)
- Altimeter: 30.00 inHg
- Observation at 4:53 pm from LEX, 17 miles away
Injuries
| Fatal | Serious | Minor | None | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Crew | 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.