Piper PA-28-150 accident near Middletown, Pennsylvania, December 1, 1987
On December 1, 1987 at about 8:00 pm local time, a Piper PA-28-150, registered N32307, was substantially damaged in an accident near Middletown, Pennsylvania (Harrisburg airport). It was a business 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
- December 1, 1987 · about 8:00 pm local time
- Place
- Middletown, Pennsylvania · Harrisburg · map
- Type
- Accident
- Injuries
- No one was hurt; 1 person was on board or involved.
- Weather
- visual conditions (good weather)
- Aircraft
- Piper PA-28-150 · all PA-28-150s on the register
- Registration
- N32307 · no longer on the register · serial 28-7515122
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Business flight · general aviation rules (Part 91)
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
AFTER LANDING THE PILOT WAS CLEARED TO TAXI TO THE PARKING AREA AT STANBAUGH'S GENERAL AVIATION. DURING A MANEUVER BETWEEN A DE-ICER TRUCK AND A PARKED AIRPLANE, THE PILOT ALLOWED THE AIRCRAFT TO BECOME TOO CLOSE TO THE TRUCK AND CAUGHT THE WING TIP ON THE BACK OF THE TRUCK BREAKING THE WING TIP OFF AND DAMAGING THE OUTER LEADING EDGE OF THE LEFT WING.
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: commercial pilot
- Ratings: multi-engine land; single-engine land; instrument: airplane
- Flight time: 1,397 hours in all; 255 in this make and model; 300 in the last 90 days; 1,225 as pilot in command
- Medical certificate: Class 1 (valid medical--no waivers/lim.)
- Seat: left
The aircraft
- Airframe total time: 3,330 hours
- Last inspection: annual inspection, August 14, 1987; 14 hours since
- Maximum gross weight: 2,150 lb
- Seats: 4
- Landing gear: fixed
- Engine: Lycoming O-320-E3D (piston); 0 hours total
The flight
- Departed from: 54PA Thomasville PA at 7:45 pm
- Destination: MDT Middletown PA
- Flight plan: none
- Runway 0
Weather at the time
- Light: daylight
- Wind: at 10 knots
- Visibility: 15 statute miles
- Sky: clear
- Temperature: 39°F (4°C), dew point 0°F (-18°C)
- Observation at 3:00 pm
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.
Other NTSB records under N32307 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.