Piper PA-32R-301 accident near Porter, Oklahoma, May 23, 1987
On May 23, 1987 at about 3:54 am local time, a Piper PA-32R-301, registered N81796, was destroyed in an accident near Porter, Oklahoma (Hatbox airport). It was a personal flight under general aviation rules (Part 91). 2 people were killed. 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 23, 1987 · about 3:54 am local time
- Place
- Porter, Oklahoma · Hatbox · map
- Type
- Accident
- Injuries
- 2 people were killed.
- Weather
- visual conditions (good weather)
- Aircraft
- Piper PA-32R-301 · all PA-32R-301s on the register
- Registration
- N81796 · no longer on the register · serial 32R-8013081
- Damage
- Destroyed
- Flight
- Personal flight · general aviation rules (Part 91)
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
ACFT WAS OBSERVED IN A RT BANK WHEN IT EXPERIENCED AN INFLT BREAKUP. BOTH WINGS, VERT STAB AND RUDDER, AND THE HORZ STAB AND TRIM TAB SEPARATED PRIOR TO IMPACT. WX WAS DARK NIGHT WITH SCATTERED TO BROKEN CLOUD COVER, BUT VFR. ALTHOUGH A WX RPT 33 NM NORTHWEST OF THE SITE LISTED THE WX AS 10,000 SCT, 25,000 OVC, A GROUND WITNESS STATED THAT IT WAS CLOUDY, BUT THAT HE COULD SEE SOME STARS BETWEEN THE CLOUDS. THE NON-INSTRUMENT RATED PVT PLT, WHO HAD CHECKED OUT IN THE ACFT THAT DAY, HAD BEEN RESTRICTED FROM NIGHT FLIGHT DUE TO NON-COMPLIANCE WITH FAR 61.109 (MINIMUM NIGHT TIME) WHEN HE RECEIVED HIS PVT CERT. INSTRUCTOR HAD WARNED HIM NOT TO ATTEMPT TO FLY SOLO AT NIGHT. ALL SEPARATION FRACTURES WERE OVERSTRESS. RT WING WAS STRUCK BY THE LFT WING AFTER IT SEPARATED IN A NEGATIVE MANNER. PLT HAD 2 HRS DUAL NIGHT LOGGED SEVERAL MONTHS PRIOR TO THE ACCIDENT AND ABOUT 45 MINS SOLO ON THE ACCIDENT FLT.
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: 250 hours in all; 8 in this make and model; 8 in the last 90 days; 8 in the last 30 days; 100 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, January 1, 1987; 40 hours since
- Maximum gross weight: 3,600 lb
- Seats: 6
- Landing gear: retractable
- Engine: Lycoming IO-520-K1G5D (piston); 0 hours total
- Fire on the ground
The flight
- Departed from: OK33 Afton OK at 3:15 am
- Destination: HAX Muskogee OK
- Flight plan: none
- Runway 0
Weather at the time
- Light: night, dark
- Wind: from 050° at 9 knots
- Visibility: 15 statute miles
- Sky: overcast at 25,000 ft; scat at 10,000 ft
- Temperature: 70°F (21°C), dew point 61°F (16°C)
- Altimeter: 30.00 inHg
- Observation at 3:48 am from TUL, 28 miles away
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.