Piper PA-28-140 accident near Port Aransas, Texas, May 24, 1987
On May 24, 1987 at about 10:00 pm local time, a Piper PA-28-140, registered N6426W, was substantially damaged in an accident near Port Aransas, Texas (Mustang Beach 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
- May 24, 1987 · about 10:00 pm local time
- Place
- Port Aransas, Texas · Mustang Beach · map
- Type
- Accident
- Injuries
- No one was hurt; 2 people were on board or involved.
- Weather
- visual conditions (good weather)
- Aircraft
- Piper PA-28-140 · all PA-28-140s on the register
- Registration
- N6426W · no longer on the register · serial 2820496
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Personal flight · general aviation rules (Part 91)
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
THE ENGINE LOST POWER WHILE ON THE DOWNWIND LEG OF THE TRAFFIC PATTERN. THE PILOT MADE A 180 DEGREE TURN AND ATTEMPTED TO REACH THE RUNWAY. TOUCHDOWN OCCURRED ABOUT 15 FEET SHORT AND THE LANDING GEAR IMPACTED A SANDY EMBANKMENT. THE AIRCRAFT THEN SLID TO A STOP ON THE SURFACE OF THE RUNWAY. NO TRASH OR WATER WAS NOTED IN THE FUEL SYSTEM. AN ADEQUATE FUEL SUPPLY WAS ON BOARD. A POST ACCIDENT EXAMINATION FAILED TO REVEAL EVIDENCE OF PREIMPACT PROBLEM. A CAUSE FOR THE POWER LOSS WAS NOT DETERMINED.
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: 1,550 hours in all; 700 in this make and model; 4 in the last 90 days
- Medical certificate: Class 3 (valid medical--no waivers/lim.)
- Seat: left
The aircraft
- Airframe total time: 3,700 hours
- Last inspection: annual inspection, June 19, 1986; 70 hours since
- Maximum gross weight: 2,050 lb
- Seats: 2
- Landing gear: fixed
- Engine: Lycoming O-320 (piston); 0 hours total
The flight
- Departed from: CRP Corpus Christi TX
- Flight plan: none
- Runway 12, 3,500 ft by 75 ft
Weather at the time
- Light: daylight
- Wind: from 100° at 10 knots
- Visibility: 20 statute miles
- Sky: broken clouds at 15,000 ft; scat at 2,500 ft
- Temperature: 90°F (32°C), dew point 0°F (-18°C)
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.