Piper PA-28R-180 accident near Sioux City, Iowa, May 21, 1987
On May 21, 1987 at about 7:38 am local time, a Piper PA-28R-180, registered N4982J, was destroyed in an accident near Sioux City, Iowa. It was a personal flight under general aviation rules (Part 91). 3 people were killed. 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
- May 21, 1987 · about 7:38 am local time
- Place
- Sioux City, Iowa · map
- Type
- Accident
- Injuries
- 3 people were killed.
- Weather
- instrument conditions (cloud, fog or low visibility)
- Aircraft
- Piper PA-28R-180 · all PA-28R-180s on the register
- Registration
- N4982J · no longer on the register · serial 28R30735
- Damage
- Destroyed
- Flight
- Personal flight · general aviation rules (Part 91)
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
THE PIC HAD TELEPHONED THE FSS AT HURON, S.D. FOR ENR WX TO SIOUX CITY, IA, FM SIOUX FALLS, S.D., LATE THE EVENING OF MAY 20. THE FCST INDICATED IFR FLT COND'S WITH INTERMITTENT TRSMS ALONG THE RTE THROUGHOUT THE FCST PERIOD. THE PIC DPTD SIOUX FALLS, S.D. AT AN UNK TIME, AND ARR AT SIOUX CITY, IA TO RENDEZVOUS WITH HIS PAX. A SEARCH WAS CONDUCTED OF OFFICIAL COMMUNICATION RECORDS TO ASCERTAIN, IF THE PIC HAD SOUGHT ADD'L WX OBS BEFORE HIS DEPARTURE FM SIOUX CITY, IA. THE SEARCH LOCATED NO SUCH COMMUNICATIONS. WX COND'S AROUND THE TIME OF THE ACC WERE CONSIDERED IMC WITH LT RAIN. THE PIC WAS NOT INSTRUMENT RATED OR EXPERIENCED IN IFR FLT, AND THE DEPARTURE WAS AT NIGHT. THE ACFT IMPACTED LEVEL TERRAIN ABOUT 3 MI NORTHEAST OF THE ARPT IN AN OPEN FLD NEAR AN AREA OF BLUFFS. EXAM OF THE WRECKAGE FAILED TO DISCLOSE ANY PRE-IMPACT MALF OF ENG OR FLT CONTROLS.
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: 227 hours in all; 179 in this make and model; 10 in the last 90 days; 171 as pilot in command
- Medical certificate: Class 3 (valid medical--no waivers/lim.)
- Seat: left
The aircraft
- Airframe total time: 4,429 hours
- Last inspection: annual inspection, October 1, 1986; 230 hours since
- Maximum gross weight: 2,500 lb
- Seats: 4
- Landing gear: retractable
- Engine: Lycoming I0360-B1E (piston); 0 hours total
The flight
- Departed from: SUX Sioux City IA at 7:37 am
- Destination: Y14 Sioux Falls SD
- Flight plan: none
- Runway 0
- A second pilot was aboard
Weather at the time
- Light: night, dark
- Wind: from 240° at 6 knots
- Visibility: 7 statute miles
- Sky: overcast at 800 ft; not recorded
- Temperature: 66°F (19°C), dew point 64°F (18°C)
- Altimeter: 29.00 inHg
- Observation at 7:50 am from SUX, 3 miles away
Injuries
| Fatal | Serious | Minor | None | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Crew | 1 | |||
| Passengers | 2 |
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.