Piper PA-34-220T incident near El Paso, Texas, November 8, 1987
On November 8, 1987 at about 3:27 pm local time, a Piper PA-34-220T, registered N83931, suffered minor damage in an incident near El Paso, Texas (El Paso Int'L airport). It was a personal flight under general aviation rules (Part 91). No one was hurt; 6 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 incident. 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 8, 1987 · about 3:27 pm local time
- Place
- El Paso, Texas · El Paso Int'L · map
- Type
- Incident
- Injuries
- No one was hurt; 6 people were on board or involved.
- Weather
- visual conditions (good weather)
- Aircraft
- Piper PA-34-220T · all PA-34-220Ts on the register
- Registration
- N83931 · no longer on the register · serial 34-8133110
- Damage
- Minor damage
- Flight
- Personal flight · general aviation rules (Part 91)
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
THE PILOT STATED THAT THE NOSE BAGGAGE DOOR WAS PROPERLY CLOSED AND LOCKED BEFORE TAKEOFF BUT IT CAME OPEN DURING THE AIRCRAFT'S INITIAL CLIMB AT ABOUT 200 FEET AGL. HE MADE AN IMMEDIATE DESCENT AND LANDED ON THE REMAINING RUNWAY. HE DELAYED THE LEVELOFF WHICH RESULTED IN A HARD LANDING AND COLLAPSE OF THE LEFT MAIN LANDING GEAR DUE TO OVERLOAD FORCES. POST INCIDENT EXAMINATION OF THE DOOR LATCHING/LOCKING MECHANISM REVEALED NO BROKEN OR IMPROPER PARTS. HOWEVER, THERE WAS OBVIOUS WEAR AND MISADJUSTED COMPONENTS IN THE LATCHING/LOCKING MECHANISM. PIPER AIRCRAFT CORPORATION ISSUED A SERVICE BULLETIN (NO. 872) ON THE DAY AFTER THE INCIDENT WHICH ADDRESSED THE SUBJECT OF WORN AND/OR MISADJUSTED COMPONENTS IN THIS SYSTEM.
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: multi-engine land; single-engine land
- Flight time: 1,223 hours in all; 373 in this make and model; 48 in the last 90 days; 945 as pilot in command
- Medical certificate: Class 2 (valid medical--w/ waivers/lim.)
- Seat: left
The aircraft
- Airframe total time: 1,049 hours
- Last inspection: annual inspection, July 16, 1987; 43 hours since
- Maximum gross weight: 4,570 lb
- Seats: 7
- Landing gear: retractable
- Engine: Continental TSIO-360-KB1 (piston); 0 hours total
The flight
- Departed from: ELP El Paso TX at 3:27 pm
- Destination: ALM Alamogordo NM
- Flight plan: none
- Runway 4, 11,012 ft by 150 ft
Weather at the time
- Light: daylight
- Wind: from 360° at 9 knots
- Visibility: 70 statute miles
- Sky: clear
- Temperature: 55°F (13°C), dew point 37°F (3°C)
- Altimeter: 30.00 inHg
- Observation at 3:27 pm from ELP
Injuries
| Fatal | Serious | Minor | None | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Crew | 1 | |||
| Passengers | 5 |
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.