Piper PA-28R accident near Holland, Michigan, March 13, 1987
On March 13, 1987 at about 2:37 am local time, a Piper PA-28R, registered N5140S, was substantially damaged in an accident near Holland, Michigan. It was a personal flight under general aviation rules (Part 91). No one was hurt; 1 person was 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
- March 13, 1987 · about 2:37 am local time
- Place
- Holland, Michigan · map
- Type
- Accident
- Injuries
- No one was hurt; 1 person was on board or involved.
- Weather
- visual conditions (good weather)
- Aircraft
- Piper PA-28R · all PA-28Rs on the register
- Registration
- N5140S · no longer on the register · serial 28R7135162
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Personal flight · general aviation rules (Part 91)
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
DURING A LOCAL FLIGHT THE AIRCRAFT'S ENGINE LOST OIL PRESSURE. THE ENGINE CONTINUED TO RUN FOR ABOUT TWO MINUTES AND THEN TOTALLY SEIZED. THE PILOT MADE A HARD LANDING ON 58TH STREET IN HOLLAND (THE ONLY AVAILABLE LANDING AREA HE COULD SEE IN THE DARK NIGHT LIGHT CONDITIONS) RESULTING IN SUBSTANTIAL DAMAGE TO THE AIRCRAFT. INVESTIGATION REVEALED BROKEN PISTON RINGS IN THE NUMBER ONE CYLINDER, ALUMINUM SHAVINGS THROUGHOUT THE ENGINE LUBRICATING SYSTEM AND SCORED AND BURNED BEARINGS.
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 multi-engine; instructor: airplane single-engine; instrument: airplane
- Flight time: 1,715 hours in all; 1,150 in this make and model; 25 in the last 90 days; 11 in the last 30 days
- Medical certificate: Class 2 (valid medical--w/ waivers/lim.)
- Seat: left
The aircraft
- Last inspection: annual inspection, February 13, 1987; 37 hours since
- Maximum gross weight: 2,650 lb
- Seats: 4
- Landing gear: retractable
- Engine: Lycoming IO-360 (piston); 0 hours total
The flight
- Departed from: 08C Jenison MI at 2:37 am
- Flight plan: none
- Runway 0
Weather at the time
- Light: night, dark
- Visibility: 7 statute miles
- Sky: overcast at 25,000 ft; scat at 5,000 ft
- Temperature: 28°F (-2°C), dew point 23°F (-5°C)
- Altimeter: 30.00 inHg
- Observation at 2:50 am from SBN
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 N5140S 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.