Piper PA-28R-200 accident near Dares Beach, Maryland, October 10, 1987
On October 10, 1987 at about 6:27 pm local time, a Piper PA-28R-200, registered N55936, was substantially damaged in an accident near Dares Beach, Maryland. It was a business flight under general aviation rules (Part 91). No one was hurt; 4 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 10, 1987 · about 6:27 pm local time
- Place
- Dares Beach, Maryland · map
- Type
- Accident
- Injuries
- No one was hurt; 4 people were on board or involved.
- Weather
- visual conditions (good weather)
- Aircraft
- Piper PA-28R-200 · all PA-28R-200s on the register
- Registration
- N55936 · no longer on the register · serial 28R-7335315
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Business flight · general aviation rules (Part 91)
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
THE PLT STATED THAT AFTER CLIMBING ABOUT 2000' & PROCEEDING APRX 3 TO 4 MI OUT OVER THE CHESAPEAKE BAY, THE OIL TEMP BEGAN TO RISE & THE OIL PRESSURE DECREASED. HE TURNED TOWARD LAND, BUT THE ENG LOST POWER. SUBSEQUENTLY, HE WAS FORCED TO LAND IN A SWAMPY AREA NEAR THE BEACH. THE ENG WAS DAMAGED BY IMPACT & FIRE. AN EXAM REVEALED THE #3 CONNECTING ROD HAD FAILED & PUNCTURED A HOLE IN THE ENG CASE. NO SPECIFIC REASON WAS FOUND FOR THE INITIAL LOSS OF OIL PRESSURE.
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: commercial pilot
- Ratings: multi-engine land; single-engine land; instructor: airplane single-engine; instrument: airplane; rotorcraft: glider
- Flight time: 428 hours in all; 12 in this make and model; 87 in the last 90 days; 29 in the last 30 days; 311 as pilot in command; 76 on instruments
- Medical certificate: Class 2 (valid medical--w/ waivers/lim.)
- Seat: left
The aircraft
- Last inspection: annual inspection, April 1, 1987
- Maximum gross weight: 2,650 lb
- Seats: 4
- Landing gear: retractable
- Engine: Lycoming IO-360 (piston); 0 hours total
- Fire on the ground
The flight
- Departed from: 2W6 St Mary'S Cty MD at 6:10 pm
- Destination: 0W7 Chestertown MD
- Flight plan: none
- Runway 0
Weather at the time
- Light: daylight
- Wind: from 210° at 3 knots
- Visibility: 7 statute miles
- Sky: scat at 8,000 ft
- Temperature: 70°F (21°C), dew point 45°F (7°C)
- Altimeter: 30.00 inHg
- Observation at 5:55 pm from NHK, 15 miles away
Injuries
| Fatal | Serious | Minor | None | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Crew | 1 | |||
| Passengers | 3 |
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.