Piper PA-31-310 accident near West Palm Beach, Florida, November 11, 1987
On November 11, 1987 at about 10:00 am local time, a Piper PA-31-310, registered N112AG, was substantially damaged in an accident near West Palm Beach, Florida. It was a flight of an unrecorded kind under charter and air-taxi rules (Part 135). 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
- November 11, 1987 · about 10:00 am local time
- Place
- West Palm Beach, Florida · map
- Type
- Accident
- Injuries
- No one was hurt; 1 person was on board or involved.
- Weather
- visual conditions (good weather)
- Aircraft
- Piper PA-31-310 · all PA-31-310s on the register
- Registration
- N112AG · no longer on the register · serial 31-698
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Flight of an unrecorded kind · charter and air-taxi rules (Part 135)
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
THE PLT STATED THAT WHILE ENROUTE TO WEST PALM BEACH, SHE ENCOUNTERED SEVERE TURBULENCE. THE AFT CABIN DOOR POPPED OPEN BUT REMAINED ATTACHED AND THE FLT WAS CONTINUED AND LNDD W/O FURTHER INCIDENT. AS THE PLT ATTEMPTED TO RESTART THE ENGS FOR THE RETURN TRIP THE LEFT ENG WOULD NOT START. ANOTHER ACFT WAS FLOWN IN SO SHE COULD COMPLETE HER TRIP. THE INITIAL ACFT WAS REPAIRED & FLOWN BACK TO TAMPA. AFTER LANDING IN TAMPA DURING DAYLIGHT HOURS, IT WAS FOUND THAT BOTH FORWARD WING ATTACH FITTINGS WERE DISTORTED AND PULLED AWAY FROM THE FUSELAGE.
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
- Ratings: multi-engine land; single-engine land; instrument: airplane
- Flight time: 4,544 hours in all; 368 in this make and model; 283 in the last 90 days; 4,378 as pilot in command
- Medical certificate: Class 1 (valid medical--no waivers/lim.)
- Seat: left
The aircraft
- Airframe total time: 5,382 hours
- Last inspection: approved inspection programme, September 23, 1987; 19 hours since
- Maximum gross weight: 6,500 lb
- Seats: 9
- Landing gear: retractable
- Engine: Lycoming TIO-540-A2C (piston); 0 hours total
The flight
- Departed from: TPA Tampa FL at 9:30 am
- Destination: PBI W Palm Beach FL
- Flight plan: none
- Runway 0
Weather at the time
- Light: night, dark
- Wind: from 230° at 7 knots
- Visibility: 4 statute miles
- Sky: broken clouds at 3,600 ft; not recorded
- Temperature: 70°F (21°C), dew point 70°F (21°C)
- Altimeter: 29.00 inHg
- Observation at 9:48 am from PBI
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.