Piper PA-38-112 accident near Dunsmuir, California, December 5, 1987
On December 5, 1987 at about 4:30 am local time, a Piper PA-38-112, registered N123JY, was destroyed in an accident near Dunsmuir, California. It was a business flight under general aviation rules (Part 91). 1 person had minor injuries. The weather was instrument conditions (cloud, fog or low visibility).
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
- December 5, 1987 · about 4:30 am local time
- Place
- Dunsmuir, California · map
- Type
- Accident
- Injuries
- 1 person had minor injuries.
- Weather
- instrument conditions (cloud, fog or low visibility)
- Aircraft
- Piper PA-38-112 · all PA-38-112s on the register
- Registration
- N123JY · no longer on the register · serial 38-78 A0633
- Damage
- Destroyed
- Flight
- Business flight · general aviation rules (Part 91)
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
A PIPER PA-38-112 COLLIDED WITH TERRAIN WHILE ON A NIGHT VFR CROSS COUNTRY FLIGHT. NIGHT INSTRUMENT METEOROLOGICAL CONDITIONS PREVAILED AT THE TIME AND NO FLIGHT PLAN WAS FILED. THE PILOT RECEIVED A WEATHER BRIEFING PRIOR TO DEPARTURE. HIS DESTINATION WEATHER WAS MARGINAL AND HE DID NOT UPDATE HIS WEATHER BRIEFING ENROUTE. THE PILOT WAS FLYING DOWN A VALLEY AT AN ALTITUDE OF 6,500 FEET MSL FOLLOWING AN INTERSTATE UNDER AN OVERCAST CEILING WHICH THE PILOT REPORTED AT 7,500 FEET MSL. THE PILOT INDICATED HE ENCOUNTERED STRONG WINDS AND TURBULENCE. HE THEN FLEW INTO CLOUDS LOST ALTITUDE AND CRASHED INTO TREES.
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: 125 hours in all; 105 in this make and model; 12 in the last 90 days; 3 in the last 30 days; 75 as pilot in command
- Medical certificate: Class 3 (expired)
- Seat: left
The aircraft
- Airframe total time: 1,662 hours
- Last inspection: annual inspection, April 8, 1987; 70 hours since
- Maximum gross weight: 1,670 lb
- Seats: 2
- Landing gear: fixed
- Engine: Lycoming O-235-L2C (piston); 0 hours total
The flight
- Departed from: MFR Medford OR at 3:45 am
- Destination: RDD Redding CA
- Flight plan: none
- Runway 0
Weather at the time
- Light: night, bright
- Wind: from 180° at 5 knots
- Visibility: 4 statute miles
- Sky: broken clouds at 500 ft; not recorded
- Temperature: 52°F (11°C), dew point 50°F (10°C)
- Altimeter: 29.00 inHg
- Observation at 3:50 am from RDD, 65 miles away
Injuries
| Fatal | Serious | Minor | None | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Crew | 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.