Piper PA-30B accident near Decatur, Illinois, November 10, 1987
On November 10, 1987, a Piper PA-30B, registered N7865Y, was substantially damaged in an accident near Decatur, Illinois (Decatur airport). 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
- November 10, 1987
- Place
- Decatur, Illinois · Decatur · map
- Type
- Accident
- Injuries
- No one was hurt; 1 person was on board or involved.
- Weather
- visual conditions (good weather)
- Aircraft
- Piper PA-30B · all PA-30Bs on the register
- Registration
- N7865Y · registry record · serial 30-948
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Personal flight · general aviation rules (Part 91)
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
THE AIRCRAFT EXPERIENCED A LANDING WITH THE GEAR RETRACTED. THE PILOT STATED THAT HE PERCEIVED THE YELLOW LIGHT INDICATION FOR THE LANDING GEAR TO MEAN 'DOWN', INSTEAD OF LOOKING FOR A GREEN LIGHT.
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; instrument: airplane
- Flight time: 3,295 hours in all; 242 in this make and model; 24 in the last 90 days; 3,175 as pilot in command
- Medical certificate: Class 2 (valid medical--w/ waivers/lim.)
- Seat: left
The aircraft
- Airframe total time: 5,636 hours
- Last inspection: annual inspection, October 5, 1987; 16 hours since
- Maximum gross weight: 3,600 lb
- Seats: 4
- Landing gear: retractable
- Engine: Lycoming IO-320-B1A (piston); 0 hours total
The flight
- Departed from: SPI Springfield IL at 11:53 pm
- Flight plan: none
- Runway 36, 5,300 ft by 150 ft
Weather at the time
- Light: night, dark
- Wind: from 330° at 14 knots
- Visibility: 25 statute miles
- Sky: scat at 25,000 ft
- Temperature: 37°F (3°C), dew point 25°F (-4°C)
- Altimeter: 30.00 inHg
- Observation at 11:45 pm from DEC
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.
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.