Piper PA-28R accident near Milwaukee, Wisconsin, June 22, 1987
On June 22, 1987 at about 3:10 am local time, a Piper PA-28R, registered N2678R, was destroyed in an accident near Milwaukee, Wisconsin (General Mitchell Field). It was a personal flight under general aviation rules (Part 91). 2 people were killed. 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
- June 22, 1987 · about 3:10 am local time
- Place
- Milwaukee, Wisconsin · General Mitchell Field · map
- Type
- Accident
- Injuries
- 2 people were killed.
- Weather
- instrument conditions (cloud, fog or low visibility)
- Aircraft
- Piper PA-28R · all PA-28Rs on the register
- Registration
- N2678R · no longer on the register · serial 35246
- Damage
- Destroyed
- Flight
- Personal flight · general aviation rules (Part 91)
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
DRG ARR AT THE MILWAUKEE/LAWRENCE J TIMMERMAN ARPT, THE PLT MADE 2 ATMTS TO USE THE LOCALIZER 15L APCH. AFTER THE 2ND MISSED APCH, HE ELECTED TO DIVERT TO MILWAUKEE/GENERAL MITCHELL FLD (MKE). AT THAT TIME, HE WAS ADZD THE MKE WX WAS 300' OVC, 1/4 MI VIS WITH FOG, RVR 3500'. THE PLT WAS CONTINUALLY ADZD OF THE RVR AT MKE. INITIALLY, THE RVR WAS VRBL BTN ABT 6000 & 3500 FT. AFTER BEING CLRD FOR THE APCH, THE PLT ACKNOWLEDGED CLNC TO TWR FREQ, BUT DELAYED FREQ CHG UNTILREMINDED. WHEN HE FINALLY CONTACTED THE TWR, HE WAS CLRD TO LAND. HE WAS ADZD THE RVR HAD DROPPED TO 2000', THEN ABOUT 1 MIN LATER, WAS TOLD IT WAS 1800', BUT THE PLT DID NOT REPLY. AFTER ABOUT ANOTHER MIN, AN ELT SIGNAL WAS HEARD FOR ABOUT 2 SEC & RADIO CONTACT WAS LOST WITH THE ACFT. THE AIRCRAFT HAD HIT A TREETOP, CRASHED & BURNED ABOUT 1/4 MI FM THE APCH END OF RWY 7. NO PREIMPACT PART FAILURE OR MALFUNCTION WAS FND. TEN MIN AFTER THE ACDNT, MKE WX WAS IN PART: 100' OBSCURED, 1/4 MI WITH FOG. MINS FOR THE APCH WERE 200' CEILING & 1/2 MI VIS OR 2400' RVR.
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: single-engine land; instructor: airplane single-engine; instrument: airplane
- Flight time: 1,100 hours in all
- Medical certificate: Class 2 (valid medical--w/ waivers/lim.)
- Seat: left
The aircraft
- Airframe total time: 2,945 hours
- Last inspection: annual inspection, February 16, 1987; 28 hours since
- Maximum gross weight: 2,600 lb
- Seats: 4
- Landing gear: retractable
- Engine: Lycoming IO-360-C1C (piston); 0 hours total
- Fire on the ground
The flight
- Departed from: MSP Minneapolis MN
- Destination: MKE Milwaukee WI
- Flight plan: IFR
- Runway 7, 8,010 ft by 150 ft
Weather at the time
- Light: night, dark
- Wind: from 020° at 4 knots
- Sky: not recorded
- Temperature: 70°F (21°C), dew point 70°F (21°C)
- Altimeter: 29.00 inHg
- Observation at 3:20 am from MKE
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.