Piper PA-28R-180 accident near Tulare, California, February 10, 1987
On February 10, 1987 at about 2:20 am local time, a Piper PA-28R-180, registered N7498J, was substantially damaged in an accident near Tulare, California (Mefford Field). It was a business flight under general aviation rules (Part 91). No one was hurt; 1 person was on board or involved. The weather was visual conditions (good weather).
Preview. This page is not yet listed for search engines.
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 4, 2026. Docket and reports at the NTSB.
What the record shows
- Date
- February 10, 1987 · about 2:20 am local time
- Place
- Tulare, California · Mefford Field · map
- Type
- Accident
- Injuries
- No one was hurt; 1 person was on board or involved.
- Weather
- visual conditions (good weather)
- Aircraft
- Piper PA-28R-180 · all PA-28R-180s on the register
- Registration
- N7498J · registry record · serial 28R-30860
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Business flight · general aviation rules (Part 91)
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
THE PILOT ATTEMPTED TO LAND WHILE THE RUNWAY AND VASI APPROACH LIGHTS WERE OFF. THE NIGHT WAS DARK AND HE INADVERTENTLY LANDED ON A ROADWAY PARALLEL TO THE RUNWAY. THE AIRCRAFT COLLIDED WITH A FENCE WHEN THE ROAD CAME TO A DEAD END ADJACENT TO THE NEAR MIDFIELD POINT ON THE RUNWAY. THE RUNWAY AND APPROACH LIGHTS AT THE AIRPORT ARE RADIO CONTROLLED. DURING A TELEPHONIC INTERVIEW, THE PILOT SAID HE HAD NEVER USED THE RADIO PROCEDURES TO ILLUMINATE RUNWAY LIGHTS. THE PILOT'S MEDICAL CERTIFICATE WAS NOT VALID FOR NIGHT FLIGHT.
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: 392 hours in all; 108 in this make and model; 12 in the last 90 days; 318 as pilot in command
- Medical certificate: Class 3 (valid medical--w/ waivers/lim.)
- Seat: left
The aircraft
- Airframe total time: 2,811 hours
- Last inspection: annual inspection, April 14, 1986
- Maximum gross weight: 2,500 lb
- Seats: 4
- Landing gear: retractable
- Engine: Lycoming IO-360-B1E (piston); 0 hours total
The flight
- Departed from: MAE Madera CA at 1:50 am
- Flight plan: none
- Runway 0
Weather at the time
- Light: night, dark
- Visibility: 15 statute miles
- Sky: broken clouds at 8,000 ft; not recorded
- Temperature: 57°F (14°C), dew point 0°F (-18°C)
- Altimeter: 29.00 inHg
Injuries
| Fatal | Serious | Minor | None | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Crew | 1 |
About this page
Everything above comes from the NTSB's public accident database: the narrative, probable cause and findings are the NTSB's own words, and the coded tables behind its report (pilot, aircraft, flight, weather, injuries, sequence of events) are written out in plain English. Pilots' ages, home towns and medical details are left out on purpose. The docket at the NTSB holds the report as a PDF and the investigation's photographs and documents. This site never names pilots, passengers or anyone else involved. A preliminary report describes what is known soon after the event and can change; the final report, with the probable cause, usually follows one to two years later and this page is refreshed when it does. Case number LAX87LA115.