Piper PA-32-300 accident near Montoursville, Pennsylvania, September 25, 1987
On September 25, 1987 at about 6:28 am local time, a Piper PA-32-300, registered N38364, was destroyed in an accident near Montoursville, Pennsylvania (Williamsport airport). It was a personal flight under general aviation rules (Part 91). 1 person was 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
- September 25, 1987 · about 6:28 am local time
- Place
- Montoursville, Pennsylvania · Williamsport · map
- Type
- Accident
- Injuries
- 1 person was killed.
- Weather
- instrument conditions (cloud, fog or low visibility)
- Aircraft
- Piper PA-32-300 · all PA-32-300s on the register
- Registration
- N38364 · no longer on the register · serial 327740083
- Damage
- Destroyed
- Flight
- Personal flight · general aviation rules (Part 91)
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
THE PLT INITIATED THE ILS APPROACH AND ACKNOWLEDGED A FREQUENCY CHANGE. THE ACFT WAS FOUND ON A STEEP HILL ONE MILE SOUTH OF THE AIRPORT. NO EVIDENCE OF AN ENGINE OR CONTROL SYSTEM MALFUNCTION WAS FOUND. IT APPEARED THAT THE PILOT MADE A MISSED APPROACH AND FLEW INTO HIGH TERRAIN. THERE WAS A 2 1/2 HOUR DELAY BETWEEN THE TIME OF THE CRASH AND CONFIRMATION OF THE CRASH. THE PILOT WAS FOUND OUTSIDE OF THE WRECKAGE APPROXIMATELY 5 HOURS LATER. AN AME SAID THE CRASH WAS SURVIVABLE AND THAT THE PILOT HAD EXITED THE AIRCRAFT ON HIS OWN AFTER THE ACCIDENT. HE SAID THAT ALTHOUGH THE PILOT EXPERIENCED SERIOUS INJURIES, NONE OF THEM WERE LETHAL. THE TEMPERATURE DROPPED TO 46 DEGREES WITH A WIND CHILL TEMPERATURE OF 36 DEGREES DURING THE NIGHT. THE AUTOPSY SHOWED THE PILOT HAD DIED OF EXPOSURE AND SHOCK.
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: multi-engine land; single-engine land; single-engine sea; instructor: airplane multi-engine; instructor: airplane single-engine; instructor: instrument airplane; instrument: airplane
- Flight time: 10,000 hours in all; 1,000 in this make and model; 120 in the last 90 days
- Medical certificate: Class 2 (valid medical--w/ waivers/lim.)
- Seat: left
The aircraft
- Airframe total time: 2,686 hours
- Last inspection: annual inspection, September 17, 1987; 8 hours since
- Maximum gross weight: 3,400 lb
- Seats: 6
- Landing gear: fixed
- Engine: Lycoming IO-540-KIG5 (piston); 0 hours total
- Operator: Paragon Flying Club
The flight
- Departed from: PWK Wheeling IL
- Destination: IPT Williamsport PA
- Flight plan: IFR
- Runway 27, 6,449 ft by 150 ft
Weather at the time
- Light: night, dark
- Wind: from 300° at 6 knots
- Sky: not recorded
- Temperature: 48°F (9°C), dew point 48°F (9°C)
- Altimeter: 29.00 inHg
- Observation at 6:50 am from IPT, 1 miles away
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.