Piper PA-22-160 accident near Tucson, Arizona, October 18, 1987
On October 18, 1987 at about 6:30 pm local time, a Piper PA-22-160, registered N8779D, was substantially damaged in an accident near Tucson, Arizona (Avra Valley 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
- October 18, 1987 · about 6:30 pm local time
- Place
- Tucson, Arizona · Avra Valley · map
- Type
- Accident
- Injuries
- No one was hurt; 2 people were on board or involved.
- Weather
- visual conditions (good weather)
- Aircraft
- Piper PA-22-160 · all PA-22-160s on the register
- Registration
- N8779D · no longer on the register · serial 225967
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Personal flight · general aviation rules (Part 91)
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
THE PILOT REPORTED THAT THE ENGINE WOULD NOT START BY PRESSING THE STARTER SO HE DECIDED TO HAND PROP THE ENGINE. AFTER SEVERAL ATTEMPTS THE ENGINE FINALLY STARTED. THE ENGINE IMMEDIATELY INCREASED POWER AND THE AIRCRAFT JUMPED THE CHOCKS. THE NON-PILOT PASSENGER AT THE CONTROLS WAS UNABLE TO STOP THE AIRCRAFT BEFORE IT COLLIDED WITH A HANGAR. THERE WERE NO MECHANICAL MALFUNCTIONS/FAILURES REPORTED.
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: 180 hours in all; 117 in this make and model; 7 in the last 90 days; 4 in the last 30 days; 180 as pilot in command
- Medical certificate: Class 3 (valid medical--no waivers/lim.)
- Seat: unk
The aircraft
- Airframe total time: 2,871 hours
- Last inspection: annual inspection, September 20, 1987; 4 hours since
- Maximum gross weight: 1,840 lb
- Seats: 4
- Landing gear: fixed
- Engine: Lycoming O-320-B2A (piston); 0 hours total
The flight
- Flight plan: none
- Runway 0
Weather at the time
- Light: daylight
- Visibility: 20 statute miles
- Sky: clear
- Temperature: 84°F (29°C), dew point 0°F (-18°C)
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.