Piper PA-22-150 accident near Belleville, Indiana, September 20, 1987
On September 20, 1987, a Piper PA-22-150, registered N7108B, was substantially damaged in an accident near Belleville, Indiana (Cooper Pvt airport). It was a personal flight under general aviation rules (Part 91). No one was hurt; 2 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
- September 20, 1987
- Place
- Belleville, Indiana · Cooper Pvt · map
- Type
- Accident
- Injuries
- No one was hurt; 2 people were on board or involved.
- Weather
- visual conditions (good weather)
- Aircraft
- Piper PA-22-150 · all PA-22-150s on the register
- Registration
- N7108B · no longer on the register · serial 224324
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Personal flight · general aviation rules (Part 91)
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
THE AIRCRAFT WAS RETURNING TO AN UNLIGHTED PRIVATE AIRSTRIP AFTER A LOCAL PLEASURE FLIGHT. THE SUN HAD SET BUT, ACCORDING TO THE PILOT, THE SKY WAS STILL ILLUMINATED. THE PILOT STATED HE WAS ABLE TO SET UP AN APPROACH, BUT WHEN ESTABLISHED ON FINAL HE 'LOST SIGHT' OF THE RUNWAY. THE PILOT STATED HE EXECUTED A 'LOW' GO-AROUND TO TRY AND SPOT THE RUNWAY, THEN ELECTED TO TRY A SECOND APPROACH. AGAIN THE PILOT REPORTEDLY 'LOST SIGHT' OF THE RUNWAY ON FINAL. THE PILOT STATED HE DECIDED TO PERFORM ANOTHER GO-AROUND AND FLY TO A NEAR-BY AIRPORT WITH LIGHTS. THE PILOT WAS STARTING THE SECOND GO-AROUND ATTEMPT WHEN THE AIRCRAFT STRUCK A FENCE, FLIPPING IT OVER ONTO ITS BACK.
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: 159 hours in all; 10 in this make and model; 10 in the last 90 days; 159 as pilot in command
- Medical certificate: Class 3 (valid medical--w/ waivers/lim.)
- Seat: left
The aircraft
- Airframe total time: 2,640 hours
- Last inspection: annual inspection, August 19, 1987; 10 hours since
- Maximum gross weight: 1,950 lb
- Seats: 4
- Landing gear: fixed
- Engine: Lycoming O-320-A1A (piston); 0 hours total
The flight
- Departed from: 68I Belleville IN
- Flight plan: none
- Runway 27, 2,000 ft by 80 ft
Weather at the time
- Light: dusk
- Wind: from 220° at 6 knots
- Visibility: 10 statute miles
- Sky: clear
- Temperature: 63°F (17°C), dew point 46°F (8°C)
- Altimeter: 29.00 inHg
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.