Beech C24R accident near Danbury, Connecticut, July 16, 1987
On July 16, 1987 at about 1:00 am local time, a Beech C24R, registered N1997L, was substantially damaged in an accident near Danbury, Connecticut (Danville Muni airport). It was a personal flight under general aviation rules (Part 91). 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
- July 16, 1987 · about 1:00 am local time
- Place
- Danbury, Connecticut · Danville Muni
- Type
- Accident
- Injuries
- No one was hurt; 3 people were on board or involved.
- Weather
- visual conditions (good weather)
- Aircraft
- Beech C24R · all C24Rs on the register
- Registration
- N1997L · no longer on the register · serial ML430
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Personal flight · general aviation rules (Part 91)
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
DURING A LANDING AT LATE DUSK, THE AIRCRAFT COLLIDED WITH A DEER THAT DARTED ONTO THE RUNWAY. THE PILOT SAID THERE WAS NO TIME TO TAKE EVASIVE ACTION BEFORE THE COLLISION. THE LEFT WING AND LEFT GEAR DOOR WERE DAMAGED AND THE LEFT FUEL TANK WAS RUPTURED.
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; instrument: airplane
- Flight time: 370 hours in all; 146 in this make and model; 276 in the last 90 days; 295 as pilot in command
- Medical certificate: Class 2 (valid medical--no waivers/lim.)
- Seat: rgt
The aircraft
- Airframe total time: 1,850 hours
- Last inspection: annual inspection
- Maximum gross weight: 2,550 lb
- Seats: 6
- Landing gear: retractable
- Engine: Lycoming IO-360 (piston); 0 hours total
The flight
- Departed from: DXR Danbury CT at 11:45 pm
- Flight plan: none
- Runway 26, 4,419 ft by 150 ft
Weather at the time
- Light: dusk
- Sky: clear
- Temperature: 0°F (-18°C), dew point 0°F (-18°C)
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.