Piper PA-28 accident near Duluth, Minnesota, July 5, 1987
On July 5, 1987 at about 2:40 pm local time, a Piper PA-28, registered N56808, was substantially damaged in an accident near Duluth, Minnesota (Duluth/Sky Harbor airport). It was a personal flight under general aviation rules (Part 91). No one was hurt; 3 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
- July 5, 1987 · about 2:40 pm local time
- Place
- Duluth, Minnesota · Duluth/Sky Harbor · map
- Type
- Accident
- Injuries
- No one was hurt; 3 people were on board or involved.
- Weather
- visual conditions (good weather)
- Aircraft
- Piper PA-28 · all PA-28s on the register
- Registration
- N56808 · no longer on the register · serial 28-7425040
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Personal flight · general aviation rules (Part 91)
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
RPRTDLY, THE WINDS WERE PREVAILING FROM THE NORTHEAST & WERE VARIABLE & GUSTY. THE PLT ENTERED THE TRAFFIC PATTERN TO LAND ON RWY 14, BUT ABORTED HIS 1ST ATTEMPT. DURING THE 2ND APCH, HE USED A NOTCH OF FLAPS & CORRECTED FOR THE X-WIND BY SLIPPING THE ACFT INTO THE WIND. HE STATED THE ACFT TOUCHED DOWN WITH THE MAIN GEAR ALIGNED WITH THE RWY CENTERLINE. HOWEVER, DURING THE LANDING, THE ACFT VEERED TO THE RIGHT. THE PLT APPLIED POWER TO GO AROUND AGAIN, BUT THE ACFT WAS AIRBORNE ONLY BRIEFLY. IT THEN TOUCHED DOWN IN SANDY TERRAIN & NOSED OVER.
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: single-engine land
- Flight time: 80 hours in all; 7 in this make and model; 15 in the last 90 days; 14 as pilot in command
- Medical certificate: Class 3 (valid medical--no waivers/lim.)
- Seat: left
The aircraft
- Airframe total time: 2,684 hours
- Last inspection: 100-hour inspection, January 7, 1987
- Maximum gross weight: 2,150 lb
- Seats: 4
- Landing gear: fixed
- Engine: Lycoming O-320-E2A (piston); 0 hours total
The flight
- Departed from: D36 Duluth MN at 1:30 pm
- Flight plan: none
- Runway 14, 3,051 ft by 75 ft
Weather at the time
- Light: daylight
- Wind: from 045° at 15 knots, gusting 20
- Visibility: 15 statute miles
- Sky: broken clouds at 25,000 ft; scat at 5,500 ft
- Temperature: 66°F (19°C), dew point 57°F (14°C)
- Altimeter: 29.00 inHg
- Observation at 2:50 pm from DLH, 10 miles away
Injuries
| Fatal | Serious | Minor | None | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Crew | 1 | |||
| Passengers | 2 |
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.