Piper PA-32RT-300T accident near Tallahassee, Florida, March 6, 1987
On March 6, 1987 at about 4:30 pm local time, a Piper PA-32RT-300T, registered N39588, was substantially damaged in an accident near Tallahassee, Florida (Tallahassee airport). It was a personal 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).
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
- March 6, 1987 · about 4:30 pm local time
- Place
- Tallahassee, Florida · Tallahassee · map
- Type
- Accident
- Injuries
- No one was hurt; 1 person was on board or involved.
- Weather
- visual conditions (good weather)
- Aircraft
- Piper PA-32RT-300T PA-32RT-30 · all PA-32RT-300Ts on the register
- Registration
- N39588 · no longer on the register · serial 32R7887112
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Personal flight · general aviation rules (Part 91)
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
CONTROL OF THE ACFT WAS LOST DUE TO A STRONG WIND GUST CREATED BY THE TREE LINE NEXT TO THE RWY & THE ACFT CRASHED NEXT TO THE RWY. A PLT WHO HAD LANDED JUST PRIOR TO THAT TIME STATED THAT HE HAD SUSTAINED A MOMENTARY LOST OF ACFT CONTROL DURING THE FLARE DUE TO THE SEVERE TURBULENCE CREATED BY THE TREE LINE. SURFACE WIND GUSTS WERE ESTIMATED AS A X-WIND COMPONENT FROM THE RIGHT OF 40 DEGS AT 40 KNTS.
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: commercial pilot
- Ratings: multi-engine land; single-engine land; instrument: airplane
- Flight time: 7,080 hours in all; 36 in this make and model; 28 in the last 90 days; 5,569 as pilot in command
- Medical certificate: Class 3 (valid medical--w/ waivers/lim.)
- Seat: left
The aircraft
- Airframe total time: 1,080 hours
- Last inspection: annual inspection, March 13, 1987; 45 hours since
- Maximum gross weight: 3,400 lb
- Seats: 7
- Landing gear: retractable
- Engine: Lycoming TIO-540-51AD (piston); 0 hours total
The flight
- Departed from: PFN Panama City FL
- Destination: 68J Tallahassee FL
- Flight plan: VFR
- Runway 34, 3,250 ft by 50 ft
Weather at the time
- Light: daylight
- Wind: from 020° at 13 knots
- Visibility: 7 statute miles
- Sky: overcast at 25,000 ft; not recorded
- Temperature: 59°F (15°C), dew point 43°F (6°C)
- Altimeter: 30.00 inHg
- Observation at 4:53 pm from TLH, 18 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.