Piper PA-28-180 accident near Lancaster, Texas, November 14, 1987
On November 14, 1987 at about 12:50 pm local time, a Piper PA-28-180, registered N8980J, was destroyed in an accident near Lancaster, Texas (Lancaster airport). It was a business flight under general aviation rules (Part 91). 4 people were killed. The weather was instrument conditions (cloud, fog or low visibility).
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
- November 14, 1987 · about 12:50 pm local time
- Place
- Lancaster, Texas · Lancaster · map
- Type
- Accident
- Injuries
- 4 people were killed.
- Weather
- instrument conditions (cloud, fog or low visibility)
- Aircraft
- Piper PA-28-180 · all PA-28-180s on the register
- Registration
- N8980J · no longer on the register · serial 28-3003
- Damage
- Destroyed
- Flight
- Business flight · general aviation rules (Part 91)
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
THE PILOT RECEIVED A WEATHER REPORT INDICATING THAT IFR CONDITIONS PREVAILED. AFTER TAKEOFF THE AIRPLANE TRAVELED APPROXIMATELY 1/2 MILE BEFORE IT CRASHED. PILOT WAS NOT INSTRUMENT RATED AND HAD VERY LITTLE TOTAL TIME. HE DID HAVE THREE HOURS OF NIGHT TIME AND TWO HOURS OF SIMULATED INSTRUMENTS, BUT NO ACTUAL INSTRUMENT TRAINING. IMPACT MARKS INDICATE THAT THE ACFT CRASHED RT WING FIRST WITH THE NOSE DOWN ABOUT 45 DEGREES. THE WRECKAGE TRAVELED FOR A TOTAL OF 144 FT. THE FRONT OF THE ACFT WAS DEMOLISHED. THE RT WING HAS SEPARATED INTO SEVERAL PIECES. THE FUSELAGE WAS BROKEN OPEN ON THE RT SIDE. THE ENG & PROP WERE PUSHED UNDER THE INSTRUMENT PANEL. CONTINUITY WAS ESTABLISHED BETWEEN THE FLT CONTROLS AND CONTROL SURFACES. CONTINUITY WAS ESTABLISHED THROUGH THE ENG. AN ENG TEARDOWN WAS NOT PERFORMED. ONE WITNESS SAW THE TAKEOFF BUT NO ONE SAW THE DESCENT OR CRASH BECAUSE OF LOW VISIBILITY. FOUR PERSONS REPORTED HEARING THE ACFT FLY OVER AT LOW ALT WITH REVVING ENG AND 3 OF THEM HEARD THE CRASH.
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: 74 hours in all; 53 in this make and model; 30 as pilot in command
- Medical certificate: Class 3 (valid medical--no waivers/lim.)
- Seat: left
The aircraft
- Airframe total time: 1,728 hours
- Last inspection: annual inspection, February 3, 1987; 130 hours since
- Maximum gross weight: 2,400 lb
- Seats: 4
- Landing gear: fixed
- Engine: Lycoming O-360-A3A (piston); 0 hours total
- Operator: Jba Construction CO. INC.
The flight
- Departed from: LNC at 12:50 pm
- Destination: 5F1 Post TX
- Flight plan: none
- Runway 13, 3,700 ft by 50 ft
Weather at the time
- Light: dawn
- Wind: from 160° at 8 knots
- Visibility: 4 statute miles
- Sky: overcast at 400 ft; not recorded
- Temperature: 52°F (11°C), dew point 52°F (11°C)
- Altimeter: 29.00 inHg
- Observation at 12:08 pm from FTW, 30 miles away
Injuries
| Fatal | Serious | Minor | None | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Crew | 1 | |||
| Passengers | 3 |
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.