Piper PA-28-140 accident near Petaluma, California, February 21, 1987
On February 21, 1987 at about 8:30 pm local time, a Piper PA-28-140, registered N56887, was substantially damaged in an accident near Petaluma, California (Petaluma airport). It was a personal flight under general aviation rules (Part 91). No one was hurt; 4 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
- February 21, 1987 · about 8:30 pm local time
- Place
- Petaluma, California · Petaluma · map
- Type
- Accident
- Injuries
- No one was hurt; 4 people were on board or involved.
- Weather
- visual conditions (good weather)
- Aircraft
- Piper PA-28-140 · all PA-28-140s on the register
- Registration
- N56887 · registry record · serial 7425059
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Personal flight · general aviation rules (Part 91)
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
AT THE END OF A PLEASURE CROSS-COUNTRY FLT, THE PLT REPORTED HE WAS DOWNWIND TO RWY 29 AND NOTED THE WIND WAS LIGHT FROM 110 DEGS. ON FINAL APCH THE PLT WAS FOLLOWING ANOTHER ACFT AND NOTED THAT THE ACFT HAD A SLIGHT CRAB TO THE RIGHT. THE PLT OBSERVED THAT THE WIND DIRECTION HAD CHANGED TO A RIGHT CROSS-WIND. WHEN THE ACFT TOUCHED-DOWN THE PLT STATED THAT A STRONG GUST OF WIND FROM THE RIGHT PUSHED THE ACFT OFF THE RWY AND COLLIDED WITH THE TERRAIN. WIND CONDITIONS ON THE ARPT AT THE TIME OF THE ACCIDENT WERE REPORTED AS WIND FROM 320 DEGS AT 15 KTS, GUSTING TO 25 KTS.
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: 171 hours in all; 73 in this make and model; 65 in the last 90 days; 23 in the last 30 days; 171 as pilot in command
- Medical certificate: Class 3 (valid medical--w/ waivers/lim.)
- Seat: left
The aircraft
- Airframe total time: 3,856 hours
- Last inspection: annual inspection, February 11, 1986; 78 hours since
- Maximum gross weight: 2,150 lb
- Seats: 4
- Landing gear: fixed
- Engine: Lycoming O-320-E3D (piston); 0 hours total
The flight
- Departed from: STS Sonoma CA at 8:15 pm
- Destination: 069 Petaluma CA
- Flight plan: none
- Runway 29, 3,600 ft by 75 ft
Weather at the time
- Light: daylight
- Wind: from 320° at 15 knots, gusting 25
- Visibility: 30 statute miles
- Sky: broken clouds at 3,000 ft; clear
- Temperature: 52°F (11°C), dew point 0°F (-18°C)
- Altimeter: 29.00 inHg
- Observation at 7:30 pm from STS, 20 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.