Piper PA-60-602P accident near Hopkinsville, Kentucky, September 14, 1988
On September 14, 1988 at about 12:28 pm local time, a Piper PA-60-602P, registered N64718, was substantially damaged in an accident near Hopkinsville, Kentucky (Hopkinsville-Christian CO airport). It was a positioning flight under general aviation rules (Part 91). No one was hurt; 2 people were on board or involved. The weather was instrument conditions (cloud, fog or low visibility).
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 14, 1988 · about 12:28 pm local time
- Place
- Hopkinsville, Kentucky · Hopkinsville-Christian CO · map
- Type
- Accident
- Injuries
- No one was hurt; 2 people were on board or involved.
- Weather
- instrument conditions (cloud, fog or low visibility)
- Aircraft
- Piper PA-60-602P · all PA-60-602Ps on the register
- Registration
- N64718 · no longer on the register · serial 60-8365004
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Positioning flight · general aviation rules (Part 91)
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
THE AIRPLANE OVERRAN RWY 26 DURING LDG, FOLLOWING AN SDF APPCH. THE PLT REPORTED THAT HE BROKE OUT OF THE WX ABOUT 1 MILE FROM THE RWY, WITH 2 TO 3 MILES VISIBILITY. HE SUBSEQUENTLY LANDED 'LONG' ON THE WET RWY WITH A TAILWIND, AND FOUND THAT BRAKING WAS NOT EFFECTIVE. THE AIRPLANE RAN OFF THE RWY END AND COLLIDED WITH THE SDF EQUIPMENT BOX. THE NEAREST WX REPORTING STATION WAS LOCATED APPROX 10 MI AWAY AT CAMPBELL AAF (HOP). A SPECIAL OBSERVATION MADE AT HOP REPORTED SKY PARTIALLY OBSCURED, VISIBILITY 1/16 MILE IN FOG & WIND 040 AT 6 KTS. HOP APPROACH GAVE THE WX INFO TO THE PLT SHORTLY AFTER INITIAL CONTACT. THE SDF 26 APPCH PLATE STATED THAT THE MINIMUM VISIBILITY FOR BOTH STRAIGHT-IN & CIRCLE-TO-LAND APPCHS WAS 1 MILE.
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: airline transport pilot, flight instructor
- Ratings: multi-engine land; single-engine land; instructor: airplane multi-engine; instructor: airplane single-engine; instrument: airplane
- Flight time: 4,101 hours in all; 225 in this make and model; 91 in the last 90 days; 14 in the last 30 days; 3,826 as pilot in command; 263 on instruments
- Medical certificate: Class 1 (valid medical--no waivers/lim.)
- Seat: left
The aircraft
- Airframe total time: 1,133 hours
- Last inspection: approved inspection programme, August 18, 1988; 3 hours since
- Maximum gross weight: 6,000 lb
- Seats: 6
- Landing gear: retractable
- Engine: Lycoming IO-540-A1A5 (piston); 0 hours total
The flight
- Departed from: OWB Owensboro KY at 11:50 am
- Flight plan: IFR
- Runway 26, 5,000 ft by 75 ft
Weather at the time
- Light: daylight
- Wind: from 040° at 6 knots
- Temperature: 72°F (22°C), dew point 0°F (-18°C)
- Altimeter: 30.00 inHg
- Observation at 12:16 pm from HOP, 10 miles away
Injuries
| Fatal | Serious | Minor | None | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Crew | 1 | |||
| Passengers | 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.