Piper PA-34-200T accident near Plymouth, Indiana, May 30, 1987
On May 30, 1987 at about 5:30 am local time, a Piper PA-34-200T, registered N8231D, was substantially damaged in an accident near Plymouth, Indiana (Plymouth Muni airport). It was a personal flight under general aviation rules (Part 91). No one was hurt; 6 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
- May 30, 1987 · about 5:30 am local time
- Place
- Plymouth, Indiana · Plymouth Muni · map
- Type
- Accident
- Injuries
- No one was hurt; 6 people were on board or involved.
- Weather
- visual conditions (good weather)
- Aircraft
- Piper PA-34-200T · all PA-34-200Ts on the register
- Registration
- N8231D · no longer on the register · serial 34-8070260
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Personal flight · general aviation rules (Part 91)
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
WHILE ON FINAL APPROACH ABOUT 200 FEET FROM THE END OF THE RUNWAY, THE RIGHT FRONT SEAT PASSENGER TOLD THE PILOT SHE THOUGHT SHE SAW A DEER. THE PILOT ADDED POWER FOR A POSSIBLE GO-AROUND. SINCE HE DID NOT SEE ANY DEER, THE PILOT CONTINUED HIS LANDING. HE RETARDED POWER AND FLARED THE AIRCRAFT 'SOMEWHAT HIGH.' THE AIRCRAFT LANDED HARD AND PORPOISED.
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: private
- Ratings: multi-engine land; single-engine land; instrument: airplane
- Flight time: 2,325 hours in all; 460 in this make and model; 53 in the last 90 days; 2,160 as pilot in command
- Medical certificate: Class 3 (valid medical--w/ waivers/lim.)
- Seat: left
The aircraft
- Airframe total time: 1,190 hours
- Last inspection: annual inspection
- Maximum gross weight: 4,570 lb
- Seats: 7
- Landing gear: retractable
- Engine: Continental TSIO-360 (piston); 0 hours total
The flight
- Departed from: GRR Grand Rapids MI at 4:30 am
- Flight plan: none
- Runway 28, 3,570 ft by 60 ft
Weather at the time
- Light: night, dark
- Wind: from 180° at 10 knots
- Visibility: 7 statute miles
- Sky: not recorded; scat at 4,000 ft
- Temperature: 64°F (18°C), dew point 0°F (-18°C)
Injuries
| Fatal | Serious | Minor | None | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Crew | 1 | |||
| Passengers | 5 |
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 N8231D 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.