Lacholla Airport
Aircraft Accident/Incident Report

Tucson, Arizona 85704
Sunday, September 20, 1987 16:45 MST

NTSB Narrative Summary Released at Completion of Accident

A PIPER PA-28-180 COLLIDED WITH A TREE AFTER VEERING OFF RUNWAY 15. THE PILOT INDICATED THAT HE ENCOUNTERED A RIGHT CROSSWIND DURING THE LANDING ROLL AND VEERED OFF THE LEFT SIDE OF THE RUNWAY. THE AIRCRAFT'S LEFT WING THEN STRUCK A TREE SEVERING IT FROM THE FUSELAGE. THERE WERE NO UNRESOLVED MAINTENANCE DISCREPANCIES OR MALFUNCTIONS REPORTED AGAINST THE AIRCRAFT PRIOR TO DEPARTURE. THE OFFICIAL WEATHER OBSERVATION STATION LOCATED 20 NAUTICAL MILES SOUTH OF THE ACCIDENT SITE REPORTED THE WINDS FROM 260 DEGREES AT 4 KNOTS.

NTSB Probable Cause Narrative

Not Yet Reported

Event Information

Type of Event Accident
Event Date 9/20/1987
Event Day of the Week Sunday
Time of Event 1645
Event Time Zone Mountain Standard Time
Event City TUCSON
Event State ARIZONA
Event Country --
Zipcode of the event site 85704
Event Date Year 1987
Event Date Month 9
MidAir Collision Indicator No
On Ground Collision occurred ? No
Event Location Latitude
Event Location Longitude
Event Location Airport LACHOLLA AIRPORT
Event Location Nearest Airport ID 40E
Indicates whether the acc/inc occurred off or on an airport On Airport
Distance from airport in statute miles 0
Degrees magnetic from airport 0
Airport Elevation 2940
Weather Briefing Completeness Unknown
Investigator's weather source Weather Observation Facility
Time of the weather observation 1645 Mountain Standard Time
Direction of event from weather observation facility (degrees) 183
Weather Observation Facility ID TUS
Elevation of weather observation facility 2641
Distance of event from weather observation facility (units?) 20
Time Zone of the weather observation MST
Lighting Conditions Day
Lowest Ceiling Height 15000
Lowest Non-Ceiling Height 9000
Sky/Lowest/Cloud Conditions Scattered
Sky Condition for Lowest Ceiling Broken
Visibility Runway Visual Range (Feet) 0
Visibility Runway Visual Value (Statute Miles) 0
Visibility (Statute Miles) 35
Air Temperature at event time (in degrees celsius) 34
Dew Point at event time (in degress fahrenheit) 3
Wind Direction (degrees magnetic) 260
Variable Wind Indicator Unknown
Wind Speed (knots) 4
Wind Velocity Indicator Unknown
Wind Gust Indicator Not Gusting
Wind Gust (knots) 0
Altimeter Setting at event time (in. Hg) 29
Density Altitude (feet) 5900
Intensity of Precipitation Unknown
METAR weather report --
Event Highest Injury None
On Ground, Fatal Injuries 0
On Ground, Minor Injuries 0
On Ground, Serious Injuries 0
Injury Total Fatal --
Injury Total Minor --
Injury Total None 1
Injury Total Serious --
Injury Total All --
Investigating Agency NTSB
NTSB Docket Number (internal use) 2525
NTSB Notification Source --
NTSB Notification Date Sep 21 1987 12:00AM
NTSB Notification Time 1015
Fiche Number and/or location -used to find docket information 37182
Date of most recent change to record Dec 13 2000 2:49PM
User who most recently changed record dbo
Basic weather conditions Visual Meteorological Cond
FAA District Office --

Aircraft Involved

Aircraft #1

Aircraft Registration Number N7896W
NTSB Number LAX87LA343
Missing Aircraft Indicator N
Federal Aviation Reg. Part Part 91: General Aviation
Type of Flight Plan filed VFR
Flight plan Was Activated? --
Damage Substantial
Aircraft Fire None
Aircraft Explosion None
Aircraft Manufacturer's Full Name PIPER
Aircraft Model PA-28-180
Aircraft Series Identifier PA-28-180
Aircraft Serial Number 1924
Certified Max Gross Weight 2175
Aircraft Category Airplane
Aircraft Registration Class U.S. Registered/U.S. Soil
Aircraft is a homebuilt? No
Flight Crew Seats --
Cabin Crew Seats --
Passenger Seats --
Total number of seats on the aircraft 4
Number of Engines 1
Fixed gear or retractable gear Fixed
Aircraft, Type of Last Inspection Unknown
Date of Last Inspection --
Airframe hours since last inspection --
Airframe Hours --
ELT Installed Unknown
ELT Activated Unknown
ELT Aided Location of Event Site Unknown
ELT Type --
Aircraft Owner Name SUN BURST INVESTMENTS, INC.
Aircraft Owner Street Address 1115 SAN LUCAS CIRCLE
Aircraft Owner City TUCSON
Aircraft Owner State AZ
Aircraft Owner Country
Aircraft Owner Zipcode 85704
Operator is an individual? --
Operator Name
Operator Same as Owner? Yes
Operator Is Doing Business As --
Operator Address Same as Owner? Yes
Operator Street Address
Operator City
Operator State
Operator Country
Operator Zip code
Operator Code
Owner has at least one certificate None
Other Operator of large aircraft? No
Certified for Part 133 or 137 Operation Unknown
Operator Certificate Number --
Indicates whether an air carrier operation was scheduled or not --
Indicates Domestic or International Flight --
Operator carrying Pax/Cargo/Mail --
Type of Flying (Per_Bus / Primary) Personal
Second Pilot on Board No
Departure Point Same as Event No
Departure Airport Code ONM
Departure City SOCORRO
Departure State NM
Departure Country
Departure Time 1513
Departure Time Zone MST
Destination Same as Local Flt crash at destination city
Destination Airport Code 40E
Destination City TUCSON
Destination State AZ
Destination Country
Specific Phase of Flight Landing
Report sent to ICAO? --
Evacuation occurred --
Date of most recent change to record Jan 2 2001 10:35AM
User who most recently changed record dbo
Since inspection or accident --
Event Location Runway Number and Location 15
Runway Length 4500
Runway Width 36
Sight Seeing flight No
Air Medical Flight No
Medical Flight --