Piper PA-28 accident near Harrisburg, Pennsylvania, September 5, 1987
On September 5, 1987 at about 1:30 am local time, a Piper PA-28, registered N3023M, was substantially damaged in an accident near Harrisburg, Pennsylvania (Capital City 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
- September 5, 1987 · about 1:30 am local time
- Place
- Harrisburg, Pennsylvania · Capital City · map
- Type
- Accident
- Injuries
- No one was hurt; 3 people were on board or involved.
- Weather
- visual conditions (good weather)
- Aircraft
- Piper PA-28 · all PA-28s on the register
- Registration
- N3023M · no longer on the register · serial 28-7890285
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Personal flight · general aviation rules (Part 91)
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
THE AIRCRAFT ENGINE LOST POWER WHILE DESCENDING FOR A LANDING. THE PLT STATED THAT WHEN HE ADVANCED THE THROTTLE THE ENGINE QUIT COMPLETELY. DURING LNDG ALONGSIDE A TURNPIKE, THE NOSE WHEEL COLLAPSED AND THE PROP WAS DAMAGED. INVESTIGATION REVEALED THAT THE TEMPERATURE AND DEW POINT AT THE TIME OF THE ACCD WERE CONDUCIVE TO CARB ICE.
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
- Flight time: 107 hours in all; 17 in this make and model; 17 in the last 90 days; 56 as pilot in command
- Medical certificate: Class 3 (valid medical--no waivers/lim.)
- Seat: left
The aircraft
- Last inspection: inspection type not recorded
- Maximum gross weight: 2,450 lb
- Seats: 4
- Landing gear: fixed
- Engine: Lycoming O-320-D3G (piston); 0 hours total
The flight
- Departed from: Lexington KY at 10:30 pm
- Destination: Groton CT
- Flight plan: none
- Runway 8, 4,970 ft by 150 ft
Weather at the time
- Light: night, dark
- Visibility: 12 statute miles
- Sky: not recorded; not recorded
- 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.
Other NTSB records under N3023M 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.