Piper PA-28-161 accident near Waring, Texas, April 18, 1987
On April 18, 1987 at about 4:00 pm local time, a Piper PA-28-161, registered N2140D, was substantially damaged in an accident near Waring, Texas (Rust 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
- April 18, 1987 · about 4:00 pm local time
- Place
- Waring, Texas · Rust
- Type
- Accident
- Injuries
- No one was hurt; 3 people were on board or involved.
- Weather
- visual conditions (good weather)
- Aircraft
- Piper PA-28-161 · all PA-28-161s on the register
- Registration
- N2140D · registry record · serial 28-7916145
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Personal flight · general aviation rules (Part 91)
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
THE NEWLY CERTIFICATED PRIVATE PILOT LANDED ON RUNWAY 17 AT A SMALL PRIVATELY OWNED AIRPORT AT WARING, TX. THERE WAS A WIRE FENCE LOCATED 18 FEET FROM THE LEFT EDGE OF THE LANDING RUNWAY. THE PILOT ALLOWED THE AIRCRAFT TO DRIFT LEFT OFF THE RUNWAY AND COLLIDE WITH THE FENCE. THE WIND WAS FROM 160 DEGREES AT EIGHT KNOTS.
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: 53 hours in all; 4 in this make and model; 53 in the last 90 days; 24 as pilot in command
- Medical certificate: Class 3 (valid medical--no waivers/lim.)
- Seat: left
The aircraft
- Airframe total time: 3,923 hours
- Last inspection: annual inspection, April 3, 1987; 18 hours since
- Maximum gross weight: 2,150 lb
- Seats: 4
- Landing gear: fixed
- Engine: Lycoming O-320-EACD36 (piston); 0 hours total
The flight
- Departed from: 8XS9 Warning TX at 3:30 pm
- Flight plan: none
- Runway 17, 2,282 ft by 32 ft
Weather at the time
- Light: daylight
- Wind: from 140° at 4 knots
- Visibility: 10 statute miles
- Sky: clear
- Temperature: 73°F (23°C), dew point 61°F (16°C)
- Altimeter: 29.00 inHg
- Observation at 3:50 pm from SAT, 30 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.