Piper PA-18 accident near Speculator, New York, June 6, 1987
On June 6, 1987 at about 2:00 pm local time, a Piper PA-18, registered N8118, was substantially damaged in an accident near Speculator, New York. 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
- June 6, 1987 · about 2:00 pm local time
- Place
- Speculator, New York · map
- Type
- Accident
- Injuries
- No one was hurt; 1 person was on board or involved.
- Weather
- visual conditions (good weather)
- Aircraft
- Piper PA-18 · all PA-18s on the register
- Registration
- N8118 · no longer on the register · serial 18-6435
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Personal flight · general aviation rules (Part 91)
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
THE PLT HAD BEEN PRACTICING SHORT WATER TAKEOFFS WITH FULL FLAPS. AFTER SVCG THE ACFT WITH A FULL LOAD OF FUEL, HE BEGAN A TAKEOFF WITH 20 DEG OF FLAPS & GOT THE FLOAT PLANE ON THE STEP. HE RPRTD THAT AS HE WAS APPLYING FULL FLAPS, THE ACFT ENCTRD A GUST OF WIND. HE BELIEVED THAT AT THAT TIME, HE 'DID NOT CLICK IN FULL FLAPS' BUT EASED OFF THE FLAPS. SUBSEQUENTLY, THE ACFT STALLED & CONTACTED THE WATER, DAMAGING THE LEFT WING TIP, LEFT REAR PONTOON STRUT & THE HORIZONTAL PONTOON SPREADER BARS. THE PLT RPRTD THE WIND WAS FROM THE NORTHWEST AT 15 GUSTING 20 KTS.
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: private
- Ratings: single-engine land; single-engine sea
- Flight time: 628 hours in all; 202 in this make and model; 9 in the last 90 days; 525 as pilot in command
- Medical certificate: Class 3 (valid medical--w/ waivers/lim.)
- Seat: frt
The aircraft
- Airframe total time: 1,885 hours
- Last inspection: annual inspection, May 29, 1987; 6 hours since
- Maximum gross weight: 1,500 lb
- Seats: 2
- Landing gear: fixed
- Engine: Lycoming O-320-A2A (piston); 0 hours total
The flight
- Flight plan: none
- Runway 0
Weather at the time
- Light: daylight
- Wind: from 320° at 15 knots, gusting 20
- Visibility: 7 statute miles
- Sky: clear
- Temperature: 68°F (20°C), dew point 0°F (-18°C)
- Altimeter: 30.00 inHg
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.