Piper PA-18S accident near Brewster, Massachusetts, August 1, 1987
On August 1, 1987 at about 2:30 pm local time, a Piper PA-18S, registered N9075H, was substantially damaged in an accident near Brewster, Massachusetts. It was an instructional flight under general aviation rules (Part 91). No one was hurt; 2 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
- August 1, 1987 · about 2:30 pm local time
- Place
- Brewster, Massachusetts
- Type
- Accident
- Injuries
- No one was hurt; 2 people were on board or involved.
- Weather
- visual conditions (good weather)
- Aircraft
- Piper PA-18S · all PA-18Ss on the register
- Registration
- N9075H · no longer on the register · serial 18-392
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Instructional flight · general aviation rules (Part 91)
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
THE INSTRUCTOR (CFI) SAID THAT SHORTLY AFTER TAKEOFF, THE STUDENT WAS GIVEN A SIMULATED POWER FAILURE. AT APRX 75' AGL, THE STUDENT INITIATED A STEEP TURN TO HEAD INTO THE WIND, WHICH TERMINATED IN NEARLY A 90 DEG HEADING CHANGE. THE CFI STATED THE WIND WAS NOT COMING FROM THE DIRECTION THE STUDENT HAD TURNED, & THAT AFTER THE TURN, THE OPTION TO GO AROUNDOR LAND ON THE LONGEST PART OF THE LAKE WAS NO LONGER POSSIBLE. ALSO, THE CFI SAID HE LOWERED THE ACFT'S NOSE & APPLIED FULL POWER TO AVOID A STALL, BUT THERE WAS INSUFFICIENT ALTITUDE TO RECOVER AIRSPEED. SUBSEQUENTLY, THE AIRCRAFT IMPACTED THE WATER IN A WINGS LEVEL ATTITUDE & WAS DAMAGED.
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: flight instructor, commercial pilot
- Ratings: multi-engine land; single-engine land; single-engine sea; instrument: airplane
- Flight time: 1,345 hours in all; 25 in this make and model; 60 in the last 90 days; 1,125 as pilot in command
- Medical certificate: Class 2 (valid medical--no waivers/lim.)
- Seat: rear
The aircraft
- Airframe total time: 2,633 hours
- Last inspection: annual inspection, January 23, 1987; 30 hours since
- Maximum gross weight: 1,500 lb
- Seats: 2
- Landing gear: fixed
- Engine: Lycoming O-235-C1 (piston); 0 hours total
The flight
- Flight plan: none
- Runway 0
Weather at the time
- Light: daylight
- Wind: from 360° at 8 knots
- Sky: clear
- Temperature: 70°F (21°C), dew point 0°F (-18°C)
Injuries
| Fatal | Serious | Minor | None | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Crew | 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.
Other NTSB records under N9075H the same tail number, which may have belonged to a different aircraft at the time
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.