Nord (Sncan) 3202 accident near Bishop, California, June 22, 1987
On June 22, 1987 at about 8:50 pm local time, a Nord (Sncan) 3202, registered N32RM, was substantially damaged in an accident near Bishop, California (Bishop 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
- June 22, 1987 · about 8:50 pm local time
- Place
- Bishop, California · Bishop · map
- Type
- Accident
- Injuries
- No one was hurt; 2 people were on board or involved.
- Weather
- visual conditions (good weather)
- Aircraft
- Nord (Sncan) 3202
- Registration
- N32RM · no longer on the register · serial 73
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Personal flight · general aviation rules (Part 91)
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
DURING A RELOCATION FLIGHT OF A NEWLY PURCHASED ACFT, THE PLT WAS MAKING A CROSS WIND LANDING WHEN ON TOUCHDOWN THE LEFT WING RAISED. THE PLT CORRECTED BY APPLYING LEFT AILERON, HOWEVER, HE ALSO RELAXED THE BACK PRESSURE ON THE CONTROL STICK ALLOWING THE TAIL TO RISE. THE ACFT VEERED TO THE LEFT. THE PLT APPLIED HEAVY BRAKING TO CORRECT BACK TO THE RIGHT. THE ACFT RAN OFF THE SIDE OF THE RWY, COLLIDED WITH THE TERRAIN AND NOSED OVER.
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: airline transport pilot, flight instructor, commercial pilot
- Ratings: multi-engine land; single-engine land; single-engine sea; instructor: airplane multi-engine; instructor: airplane single-engine; instrument: airplane; rotorcraft: helicopter
- Flight time: 8,050 hours in all; 17 in this make and model; 29 in the last 90 days; 24 in the last 30 days; 4,760 as pilot in command; 1,599 on instruments
- Medical certificate: Class 1 (valid medical--w/ waivers/lim.)
- Seat: frt
The aircraft
- Airframe total time: 509 hours
- Last inspection: annual inspection, June 20, 1987; 16 hours since
- Maximum gross weight: 2,100 lb
- Seats: 2
- Landing gear: fixed
- Engine: Potez 4D34D (piston); 0 hours total
The flight
- Departed from: BLD Boulder City NV at 6:15 pm
- Destination: BIH Bishop CA
- Flight plan: none
- Runway 34, 5,601 ft by 100 ft
- A second pilot was aboard
Weather at the time
- Light: daylight
- Wind: from 270° at 7 knots
- Visibility: 20 statute miles
- Temperature: 82°F (28°C), dew point 16°F (-9°C)
- Altimeter: 30.00 inHg
- Observation at 7:55 pm from BIH
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.