Piper PA-31 accident near Medford, Oklahoma, January 28, 1987
On January 28, 1987 at about 11:00 pm local time, a Piper PA-31, registered N76ND, was substantially damaged in an accident near Medford, Oklahoma (Medford Municipal airport). It was a personal flight under general aviation rules (Part 91). No one was hurt; 5 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
- January 28, 1987 · about 11:00 pm local time
- Place
- Medford, Oklahoma · Medford Municipal · map
- Type
- Accident
- Injuries
- No one was hurt; 5 people were on board or involved.
- Weather
- visual conditions (good weather)
- Aircraft
- Piper PA-31 · all PA-31s on the register
- Registration
- N76ND · registry record · serial 317612006
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Personal flight · general aviation rules (Part 91)
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
THE ACFT EXPERIENCED A DOUBLE ENG FAILURE AS A RESULT OF FUEL EXHAUSTION DURING DESCENT TO THE DESTINATION APRT. THE PLT ATTEMPTED TO DIVERT TO A NEARBY ARPT DURING THE DESCENT, BUT BOTH ENGS QUIT BEFORE HE HAD THE RWY ASSURED. THE SUBSEQUENT ATTEMPTED FORCED LANDING RESULTED IN SUBSTANTIAL DAMAGE WHEN THE LEFT ENG RESTARTED DURING THE FLARE AND SPUN THE ACFT AROUND TO THE RIGHT. THE RIGHT WING TIP STRUCK THE GROUND, YAWING THE ACFT ON TOUCHDOWN. ALL 3 LANDING GEAR COLLAPSED AS A RESULT OF SIDE LOADS. THE PLT STATED THAT ADVERSE WINDS ALOFT EXTENDED THE FLT AND PREVENTED HIM FROM ARRIVING AT THE DESTINATION ARPT AND THAT WHEN HE BECAME AWARE OF THE CRITICAL FUEL STATE, IT WAS TOO LATE.
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: flight instructor, commercial pilot
- Ratings: multi-engine land; single-engine land; instructor: airplane single-engine; instrument: airplane
- Flight time: 962 hours in all; 6 in this make and model; 66 in the last 90 days; 780 as pilot in command
- Medical certificate: Class 1 (valid medical--w/ waivers/lim.)
- Seat: left
The aircraft
- Airframe total time: 4,979 hours
- Last inspection: annual inspection, January 22, 1987
- Maximum gross weight: 6,500 lb
- Seats: 7
- Landing gear: retractable
- Engine: Lycoming TIO-540-A2C (piston); 0 hours total
The flight
- Departed from: FAR Fargo ND at 6:58 pm
- Destination: WDG Enid OK
- Flight plan: IFR
- Runway 0
Weather at the time
- Light: daylight
- Wind: from 170° at 14 knots, gusting 20
- Visibility: 7 statute miles
- Sky: overcast at 25,000 ft; scat at 12,000 ft
- Temperature: 48°F (9°C), dew point 39°F (4°C)
- Altimeter: 29.00 inHg
- Observation at 10:55 pm from END, 25 miles away
Injuries
| Fatal | Serious | Minor | None | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Crew | 1 | |||
| Passengers | 4 |
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.