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Accidents · NTSB MIA88WA101 · Preliminary: the investigation is not finished

Piper PA-23-250 accident near Rock Sound, Bf, February 8, 1988

On February 8, 1988 at about 10:30 pm local time, a Piper PA-23-250, registered N5173Y, was destroyed in an accident near Rock Sound. It was a personal flight under general aviation rules (Part 91). 1 person had minor injuries; 1 other was unhurt. 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
February 8, 1988 · about 10:30 pm local time
Place
Rock Sound, Burkina Faso
Type
Accident
Injuries
1 person had minor injuries; 1 other was unhurt.
Weather
visual conditions (good weather)
Aircraft
Piper PA-23-250 · all PA-23-250s on the register
Registration
N5173Y · no longer on the register
Damage
Destroyed
Flight
Personal flight · general aviation rules (Part 91)

The factual record from the NTSB's investigation tables, in plain English

The aircraft

  • Last inspection: inspection type not recorded; 0 hours since
  • Seats: 0
  • Landing gear: fixed
  • Not recorded

The flight

  • Departed from: MYER
  • Flight plan: none
  • Runway 0

Weather at the time

  • Light: not reported
  • Wind: from 060° at 18 knots
  • Sky: broken clouds at 3,000 ft; scat at 1,800 ft
  • Temperature: 70°F (21°C), dew point 61°F (16°C)
  • Altimeter: 30.00 inHg
  • Observation at 5:00 pm from MYNN

Injuries

FatalSeriousMinorNone
Crew1
Passengers1

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.