Piper PA-32R-300 accident near Hastings, Florida, July 14, 1987
On July 14, 1987 at about 5:00 pm local time, a Piper PA-32R-300, registered N4647F, was substantially damaged in an accident near Hastings, Florida (Hastings Intl 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
- July 14, 1987 · about 5:00 pm local time
- Place
- Hastings, Florida · Hastings Intl
- Type
- Accident
- Injuries
- No one was hurt; 4 people were on board or involved.
- Weather
- visual conditions (good weather)
- Aircraft
- Piper PA-32R-300 · all PA-32R-300s on the register
- Registration
- N4647F · no longer on the register · serial 32R7680472
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Personal flight · general aviation rules (Part 91)
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
THE PLT STATED THAT HE HAD JUST LIFTED FROM THE 2300 FT WET GRASS STRIP, WHERE HE ESTIMATED THE GRASS TO BE ABOUT 6 IN TO 1 FT HIGH, WHEN HE SUSTAINED A PARTIAL POWER LOSS. THE ACFT STRUCK AN EMBANKMENT AT THE END OF THE RWY & SHEARED THE GEAR. AIR TEMP IN THE AREA WAS 96 DEGS, THE ELEV 25 FT & THE WINDS LIGHT. THE PLT STATED HE WAS 'NOT REAL COMFORTABLE' WITH THE CONDITIONS. A WITNESS STATED THE PLT DID NOT USE ALL THE RWY & OVERROTATED DRAGGING THE TAIL. THE PLT STATED HE USED FLAPS AS STATED IN FLT HANDBOOK. A POST CRASH EXAM OF THE TRAILING EDGE OF THE FLAPS REVEALED NO GROUND DAMAGE. THE ACFT'S ENGINE WAS TEST RUN SATISFACTORILY AFTER THE ACCIDENT & THE ENGINE PERFORMED WITHIN NORMAL LIMITS.
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: multi-engine land; single-engine land
- Flight time: 1,257 hours in all; 34 in this make and model; 177 in the last 90 days; 1,149 as pilot in command
- Medical certificate: Class 2 (valid medical--no waivers/lim.)
- Seat: left
The aircraft
- Last inspection: annual inspection, May 1, 1987
- Maximum gross weight: 3,400 lb
- Seats: 6
- Landing gear: retractable
- Engine: Lycoming TI0-540 (piston); 0 hours total
- Operator: Merritt Island Air Service
The flight
- Departed from: 80J at 5:00 pm
- Destination: COI
- Flight plan: none
- Runway 18, 2,300 ft by 100 ft
Weather at the time
- Light: daylight
- Wind: from 290° at 6 knots
- Visibility: 6 statute miles
- Sky: not recorded; scat at 3,000 ft
- Temperature: 97°F (36°C), dew point 72°F (22°C)
- Altimeter: 29.00 inHg
- Observation at 12:52 pm from DAB, 40 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.