Piper PA-32RT-300 accident near Nantucket, Massachusetts, June 13, 1987
On June 13, 1987 at about 2:12 pm local time, a Piper PA-32RT-300, registered N222HF, was destroyed in an accident near Nantucket, Massachusetts (Nantucket Memorial airport). It was a personal flight under general aviation rules (Part 91). 2 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 4, 2026. Docket and reports at the NTSB.
What the record shows
- Date
- June 13, 1987 · about 2:12 pm local time
- Place
- Nantucket, Massachusetts · Nantucket Memorial
- Type
- Accident
- Injuries
- 2 people were killed.
- Weather
- instrument conditions (cloud, fog or low visibility)
- Aircraft
- Piper PA-32RT-300 PA-32RT-30 · all PA-32RT-300s on the register
- Registration
- N222HF · registry record · serial 32R7885284
- Damage
- Destroyed
- Flight
- Personal flight · general aviation rules (Part 91)
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
THE WEATHER AT THE NANTUCKET AIRPORT WAS BELOW THE PRESCRIBED MINIMA FOR THE ILS APPROACH TO RUNWAY 24. A BLANKET BROADCAST HAD BEEN MADE ON THE AIR TRAFFIC FREQUENCIES THAT THE NANTUCKET WEATHER WAS BELOW THE MINIMA FOR MOST USERS AND, THEREAFTER, THE CONTROLLER PROVIDED THE PILOT WITH THE WEATHER AT HIS DESTINATION. THE PILOT WAS CLEARED FOR THE ILS APPROACH TO RUNWAY 24 BUT REPORTED A MISSED APPROACH AFTER PASSING THE OUTER MARKER. THE CONTROLLER ADVISED THE PILOT TO REMAIN ON THE RUNWAY HEADING AND CONTACT DEPARTURE. THERE WERE NO FURTHER COMMUNICATIONS WITH THE FLIGHT. A WITNESS OBSERVED THE AIRCRAFT DESCEND OUT OF THE FOG AND CRASH INTO TREES ABOUT A MILE NORTH OF THE AIRPORT.
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: commercial pilot
- Ratings: single-engine land; instrument: airplane
- Flight time: 6,460 hours in all; 1,500 in this make and model
- Medical certificate: Class 2 (valid medical--w/ waivers/lim.)
- Seat: left
The aircraft
- Airframe total time: 766 hours
- Last inspection: annual inspection, November 10, 1986; 87 hours since
- Maximum gross weight: 3,600 lb
- Seats: 6
- Landing gear: retractable
- Engine: Lycoming IO-540-K1G5D (piston); 0 hours total
- Fire on the ground
The flight
- Departed from: PWD Providence RI at 1:27 pm
- Flight plan: IFR
- Runway 24, 6,303 ft by 150 ft
Weather at the time
- Light: daylight
- Wind: from 240° at 12 knots
- Visibility: 25 statute miles
- Sky: not recorded
- Temperature: 63°F (17°C), dew point 61°F (16°C)
- Altimeter: 29.00 inHg
- Observation at 2:15 pm from ACK, 1 miles away
Injuries
| Fatal | Serious | Minor | None | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Crew | 1 | |||
| Passengers | 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 N222HF the same tail number, which may have belonged to a different aircraft at the time
About this page
Everything above comes from the NTSB's public accident database: the narrative, probable cause and findings are the NTSB's own words, and the coded tables behind its report (pilot, aircraft, flight, weather, injuries, sequence of events) are written out in plain English. Pilots' ages, home towns and medical details are left out on purpose. The documents and photographs are the NTSB's docket, the folder of records gathered during the investigation, shown as the NTSB released them (the NTSB redacts some personal details first) and listed under the NTSB's own titles. This site's own text never names pilots, passengers or anyone else involved. A preliminary report describes what is known soon after the event and can change; the final report, with the probable cause, usually follows one to two years later and this page is refreshed when it does. Case number NYC87FA172.