Piper PA-28-140 accident near Storm Lake, Iowa, October 12, 1987
On October 12, 1987 at about 10:00 pm local time, a Piper PA-28-140, registered N4477X, was substantially damaged in an accident near Storm Lake, Iowa (Storm Lake 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
- October 12, 1987 · about 10:00 pm local time
- Place
- Storm Lake, Iowa · Storm Lake · map
- Type
- Accident
- Injuries
- No one was hurt; 1 person was on board or involved.
- Weather
- visual conditions (good weather)
- Aircraft
- Piper PA-28-140 · all PA-28-140s on the register
- Registration
- N4477X · registry record · serial 25-7625041
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Personal flight · general aviation rules (Part 91)
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
WHILE PRACTICING AN APPROACH TO LNDG STALL, THE STU PLT STATED THAT THE ENG FAILED TO RESPOND TO THROTTLE ADVANCEMENT. AFTER UNSUCCESSFULLY ATTEMPTING EMERGENCY PROCS TO INCLUDE CARB HEAT, FUEL PUMP, AND SWITCHING FUEL TANKS, HE SELECTED A FLD. PRIOR TO T/D, THE ENG REGAINED PWR AND THE LNDG WAS ABORTED. DURING CLIMBOUT, THE RT GEAR TORE OFF AFTER COLLISION WITH A FENCE. THE LNDG GEAR STRUCK AND DMGD THE HORIZONTAL STABILATOR. THE STU PLT RETURNED TO THE ARPT AND WAS ADVISED, BY RADIO, OF THE MISSING GEAR. HE THEN CIRCLED UNTIL THE LOCAL FIRE DEPT ARRIVED AND THEN ATMPTED A LNDG. THE ACFT NOSED DOWN DURING LNDG AND TORE OFF THE NOSE GEAR AND DAMAGED THE RT WING. THE STU PLT STATED THE DAMAGE MIGHT HAVE BEEN LESS IF HE HAD CONTINUED WITH HIS INITIAL EMERGENCY LNDG IN THE FLD.
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: student
- Flight time: 30 hours in all; 30 in this make and model; 24 in the last 90 days; 5 as pilot in command
- Medical certificate: Class 3 (valid medical--no waivers/lim.)
- Seat: left
The aircraft
- Airframe total time: 3,285 hours
- Last inspection: 100-hour inspection, April 8, 1987; 85 hours since
- Maximum gross weight: 2,150 lb
- Seats: 4
- Landing gear: fixed
- Engine: Lycoming O-320-E3D (piston); 0 hours total
The flight
- Departed from: SLB Storm Lake IA at 9:30 pm
- Flight plan: none
- Runway 31, 3,000 ft by 50 ft
Weather at the time
- Light: daylight
- Wind: from 320° at 5 knots
- Visibility: 15 statute miles
- Sky: clear
- Temperature: 70°F (21°C), dew point 0°F (-18°C)
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.
Other NTSB records under N4477X the same tail number, which may have belonged to a different aircraft at the time
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.