Piper PA-28-180 accident near Alvin, Texas, October 1, 1987
On October 1, 1987 at about 1:00 am local time, a Piper PA-28-180, registered N4443T, was substantially damaged in an accident near Alvin, Texas (Private 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
- October 1, 1987 · about 1:00 am local time
- Place
- Alvin, Texas · Private · map
- Type
- Accident
- Injuries
- No one was hurt; 2 people were on board or involved.
- Weather
- visual conditions (good weather)
- Aircraft
- Piper PA-28-180 · all PA-28-180s on the register
- Registration
- N4443T · registry record · serial 28-7105228
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Personal flight · general aviation rules (Part 91)
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
THE PLT INITIATED A SOFT FIELD TYPE TAKEOFF WITH 10 DEG OF FLAPS. HE SAID THAT HE STARTED THE TAKEOFF WITH 'FULL AFT CONTROL WHEEL' UNTIL THE ACFT BECAME AIRBORNE, THEN HE LOWERED THE NOSE TO REMAIN IN GROUND EFFECT. HOWEVER, HE FAILED TO MAINTAIN AIRSPEED & THE ACFT DRIFTED TO THE LEFT OF THE RWY TOWARD TREES. ALSO, HE STATED THAT 'POWER WAS SET AT FULL,' BUT THE AIRSPEED 'WAS NOT SUFFICIENT TO MAINTAIN CONTROLLED FLIGHT.' SUBSEQUENTLY, THE ACFT 'CRASHED IN A CONTROLLED MANNER INTO THE TREES.' NO PREIMPACT PART FAILURE OR MALFUNCTION WAS RPRTD.
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: single-engine land; instrument: helicopter; rotorcraft: helicopter
- Flight time: 521 hours in all; 112 in this make and model; 120 in the last 90 days; 203 as pilot in command
- Medical certificate: Class 2 (valid medical--no waivers/lim.)
- Seat: left
The aircraft
- Airframe total time: 3,066 hours
- Last inspection: annual inspection, November 1, 1987
- Maximum gross weight: 2,175 lb
- Seats: 4
- Landing gear: fixed
- Engine: Lycoming O-360-A3A (piston); 0 hours total
The flight
- Flight plan: none
- Runway 33, 1,800 ft by 150 ft
Weather at the time
- Light: daylight
- Wind: from 350° at 7 knots
- Visibility: 15 statute miles
- Sky: clear
- Temperature: 75°F (24°C), dew point 54°F (12°C)
- Altimeter: 30.00 inHg
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.