Piper PA-31-350 accident near Cooperstown, New York, May 30, 1987
On May 30, 1987 at about 11:00 pm local time, a Piper PA-31-350, registered N59728, was substantially damaged in an accident near Cooperstown, New York. It was a flight of an unrecorded kind under charter and air-taxi rules (Part 135). No one was hurt; 3 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
- May 30, 1987 · about 11:00 pm local time
- Place
- Cooperstown, New York · map
- Type
- Accident
- Injuries
- No one was hurt; 3 people were on board or involved.
- Weather
- visual conditions (good weather)
- Aircraft
- Piper PA-31-350 · all PA-31-350s on the register
- Registration
- N59728 · no longer on the register · serial 31-7652007
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Flight of an unrecorded kind · charter and air-taxi rules (Part 135)
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
THE PILOT STATED HE DEPARTED FARMINGDALE WITH TWO PLUS HOURS OF FUEL ON BOARD. AFTER APPROXIMATELY 40-50 MINUTES OF FLIGHT, THE RIGHT LOW FUEL PRESSURE LIGHT AND RIGHT FUEL PUMP LIGHT FLASHED STEADY RED. THE PILOT RECHECKED HIS CALCULATIONS AND DETERMINED HE SHOULD HAVE SUFFICIENT FUEL ON BOARD. HOWEVER, HE ELECTED TO DIVERT TO THE CLOSEST AIRPORT. SIX MILES FROM THE AIRPORT BOTH FUEL WARNING LIGHTS ILLUMINATED AND BOTH ENGINES QUIT. THE PILOT SELECTED A FIELD AND EXECUTED A WHEELS UP LANDING. INVESTIGATION REVEALED NO FUEL REMAINING IN THE TANKS.
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: airline transport pilot, flight engineer
- Ratings: single-engine land; single-engine sea; instrument: airplane; rotorcraft: glider
- Flight time: 13,904 hours in all; 1,696 in this make and model; 13,802 as pilot in command
- Medical certificate: Class 1 (valid medical--w/ waivers/lim.)
- Seat: left
The aircraft
- Last inspection: annual inspection, December 1, 1986; 49 hours since
- Maximum gross weight: 7,000 lb
- Seats: 8
- Landing gear: retractable
- Engine: Lycoming TI0-540-J2BD (piston); 0 hours total
The flight
- Departed from: FRG Farmingdale NY at 10:00 pm
- Destination: UCA Utica NY
- Flight plan: IFR
- Runway 0
Weather at the time
- Light: daylight
- Wind: from 290° at 5 knots
- Visibility: 7 statute miles
- Sky: scat at 4,500 ft
- Temperature: 81°F (27°C), dew point 0°F (-18°C)
- Altimeter: 29.00 inHg
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.