Piper PA-32-260 and Piper PA-28-181 mid-air collision near Westerly, Rhode Island, January 20, 1987
On January 20, 1987 at about 3:50 pm local time, 2 aircraft, Piper PA-32-260 (N3293W) and Piper PA-28-181 (N4319Y), were involved in a mid-air collision near Westerly, Rhode Island. No one was hurt; 7 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
- January 20, 1987 · about 3:50 pm local time
- Place
- Westerly, Rhode Island
- Type
- Accident · mid-air collision
- Injuries
- No one was hurt; 7 people were on board or involved.
- Weather
- visual conditions (good weather)
- Aircraft 1
- Piper PA-32-260 · all PA-32-260s on the register
- Registration
- N3293W · no longer on the register · serial 32-126
- Damage
- Minor damage
- Flight
- Flight of an unrecorded kind · charter and air-taxi rules (Part 135)
- Aircraft 2
- Piper PA-28-181 · all PA-28-181s on the register
- Registration
- N4319Y · registry record · serial 28-8490010
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Personal flight · general aviation rules (Part 91)
The NTSB's narrative for the Piper PA-32-260 final · quoted from the NTSB record
THE PIPER PA-32-260 WAS TAKING OFF FROM AN UNCONTROLLED AIRPORT AND MAKING A LEFT DOWNWIND DEPARTURE. A SECOND AIRCRAFT, A PIPER PA-28-181 WAS TRANSITING THE AREA 1 MILE SOUTH OF THE AIRPORT AT AN ALTITUDE OF 1500 FT AGL. THE PA-28-181 SAW THE PA-32-260 JUST PRIOR TO CONTACT AND MADE A DESCENDING RIGHT TURN. THE RIGHT MAIN LANDING GEAR WHEEL STRUCK THE AFT PORTION OF THE LEFT WING TIP OF THE PA-28-181. THE RIGHT OUTBOARD AILERON HINGE WAS DESTROYED AND THE AILERON BENT BACKWARD AND UP. THE PA-32-260 RECEIVED A SMALL CUT ON THE RIGHT MAIN LANDING GEAR TIRE AND A SCRAPE ON THE OUTSIDE PORTION OF THE WHEEL RIM. THE PILOT OF THE PA-32-260 SAID HE NEVER SAW THE OTHER AIRCRAFT PRIOR TO CONTACT. TWO PASSENGERS, ONE IN THE RIGHT FRONT SEAT AND THE OTHER IN THE RIGHT REAR SEAT OF THE PA-32-260 BOTH SAW THE PA-28-181 PRIOR TO THE COLLISION. BOTH AIRCRAFT LANDED SAFELY.
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 NTSB's narrative for the Piper PA-28-181 final · quoted from the NTSB record
THE PIPER PA-32-260 WAS TAKING OFF FROM AN UNCONTROLLED AIRPORT AND MAKING A LEFT DOWNWIND DEPARTURE. A SECOND AIRCRAFT, A PIPER PA-28-181 WAS TRANSITING THE AREA 1 MILE SOUTH OF THE AIRPORT AN AN ALTITUDE OF 1500 FT AGL. THE PA-28-181 SAW THE PA-32-260 JUST PRIOR TO CONTACT AND MADE A DESCENDING RIGHT TURN. THE RIGHT MAIN LANDING GEAR WHEEL STRUCK THE AFT PORTION OF THE LEFT WING TIP OF THE PA-28-181. THE RIGHT OUTBOARD AILERON HINGE WAS DESTROYED AND THE AILERON BENT BACKWARD AND UP. THE PA-32-260 RECEIVED A SMALL CUT ON THE RIGHT MAIN LANDING GEAR TIRE AND A SCRAPE ON THE OUTSIDE PORTION OF THE WHEEL RIM. THE PILOT OF THE PA-32-260 SAID HE NEVER SAW THE OTHER AIRCRAFT PRIOR TO CONTACT. TWO PASSENGERS, ONE IN THE RIGHT FRONT SEAT AND THE OTHER IN THE RIGHT REAR SEAT OF THE PA-32-260 BOTH SAW THE PA-28-181 PRIOR TO THE COLLISION. BOTH AIRCRAFT LANDED SAFELY.
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 for the Piper PA-32-260 from the NTSB's investigation tables, in plain English
Pilot
- Certificate: airline transport pilot, commercial pilot
- Ratings: multi-engine land; single-engine land; instrument: airplane
- Flight time: 2,300 hours in all; 600 in this make and model; 130 in the last 90 days; 57 in the last 30 days; 2,150 as pilot in command
- Medical certificate: Class 1 (valid medical--no waivers/lim.)
- Seat: left
The aircraft
- Airframe total time: 12,441 hours
- Last inspection: approved inspection programme, December 23, 1986; 17 hours since
- Maximum gross weight: 3,400 lb
- Seats: 6
- Landing gear: fixed
- Engine: Lycoming O-540-E465 (piston); 0 hours total
The flight
- Departed from: WST at 3:45 pm
- Destination: BID Block Island RI
- Runway 32
Weather at the time
- Light: daylight
- Visibility: 15 statute miles
- Sky: broken clouds at 5,000 ft; scat at 2,500 ft
- Temperature: 27°F (-3°C), dew point 0°F (-18°C)
- Altimeter: 30.00 inHg
- Observation at 3:45 pm from GON, 11 miles away
Injuries
| Fatal | Serious | Minor | None | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Crew | 1 | |||
| Passengers | 5 |
The factual record for the Piper PA-28-181 from the NTSB's investigation tables, in plain English
Pilot
- Certificate: private
- Ratings: single-engine land
- Flight time: 221 hours in all; 26 in this make and model; 10 in the last 90 days; 4 in the last 30 days; 63 as pilot in command
- Medical certificate: Class 3 (valid medical--w/ waivers/lim.)
- Seat: left
The aircraft
- Airframe total time: 748 hours
- Last inspection: 100-hour inspection, December 30, 1986; 9 hours since
- Maximum gross weight: 2,550 lb
- Seats: 4
- Landing gear: fixed
- Engine: Lycoming O-360-A4M (piston); 0 hours total
The flight
- Departed from: BDR Bridgeport CT at 3:15 pm
- Destination: ACK Nantucket MA
- Flight plan: none
- Runway 0
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.