Piper PA28-151 accident near Aurora, Oregon, June 7, 1987
On June 7, 1987 at about 11:30 pm local time, a Piper PA28-151, registered N9232K, was substantially damaged in an accident near Aurora, Oregon (Aurora State airport). It was a personal 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
- June 7, 1987 · about 11:30 pm local time
- Place
- Aurora, Oregon · Aurora State · map
- Type
- Accident
- Injuries
- No one was hurt; 2 people were on board or involved.
- Weather
- visual conditions (good weather)
- Aircraft
- Piper PA28-151 · all PA28-151s on the register
- Registration
- N9232K · no longer on the register · serial 287615186
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Personal flight · general aviation rules (Part 91)
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
DURING CLIMBOUT AT ABOUT 500 FEET AGL FOR A TOUCH AND GO, A LOSS OF POWER OCCURRED. FORCED LANDING WAS ACCOMPLISHED ONTO A ROUGH FIELD WHERE THE LEFT WING STRUCK A SMALL TREE. THE AIRCRAFT SPUN AROUND AND THE NOSE GEAR AND MAIN GEAR COLLAPSED. EXAMINATION OF THE AIRCRAFT'S ENGINE REVEALED THAT THE NUMBER FOUR EXHAUST VALVE FAILED AT THE STEM. THE TOTAL TIME ON THE ENGINE WAS BEYOND THE MANUFACTURER'S RECOMMENDED OVERHAUL TIME.
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: 147 hours in all; 147 in this make and model; 6 in the last 90 days; 95 as pilot in command
- Medical certificate: Class 3 (valid medical--no waivers/lim.)
- Seat: left
The aircraft
- Airframe total time: 4,881 hours
- Last inspection: annual inspection, August 15, 1986; 16 hours since
- Maximum gross weight: 2,325 lb
- Seats: 4
- Landing gear: fixed
- Engine: Lycoming O-320-E3D (piston); 0 hours total
The flight
- Departed from: 3S2 Aurora OR at 11:30 pm
- Flight plan: none
- Runway 25, 4,100 ft by 100 ft
Weather at the time
- Light: daylight
- Wind: from 340° at 3 knots
- Visibility: 10 statute miles
- Sky: clear
- Temperature: 75°F (24°C), dew point 0°F (-18°C)
- Altimeter: 29.00 inHg
Injuries
| Fatal | Serious | Minor | None | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Crew | 1 | |||
| Passengers | 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.