Piper PA 28 accident near Edgewater, Florida, March 6, 2018
On March 6, 2018 at about 3:05 pm local time, a 1965 Piper PA 28, registered N6764W, was substantially damaged in an accident during approach (VFR pattern final) near Edgewater, Florida (Massey Ranch Airpark airport). It was an instructional flight under general aviation rules (Part 91). 2 people were seriously injured. The weather was visual conditions (good weather).
The NTSB's probable cause their words, unchanged
The flight instructor's failure to maintain the appropriate glidepath to the runway, which resulted in a collision with trees and terrain during final approach.
Source: NTSB aviation accident database, copy made October 5, 2026. Docket and reports at the NTSB.
What the record shows
- Date
- March 6, 2018 · about 3:05 pm local time
- Place
- Edgewater, Florida · Massey Ranch Airpark · map
- Type
- Accident
- Injuries
- 2 people were seriously injured.
- Weather
- visual conditions (good weather)
- Aircraft
- Piper PA 28 140, built 1965 · all PA 28s on the register
- Registration
- N6764W · no longer on the register · serial 28-20890
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Instructional flight · general aviation rules (Part 91)
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
The flight instructor and a student pilot were practicing pattern work at the airport. Due to their injuries, they did not recall any events before the accident. A witness reported that during a landing just before the accident, the airplane was "low" on the final leg of the traffic pattern, appeared to have increased engine power to clear the tree line, and then continued on the approach. The witness did not observe the accident sequence. Examination of the accident site and wreckage revealed that the airplane struck trees before impacting the ground about 750 ft before the runway. Examination of the airplane revealed no evidence of preimpact mechanical malfunctions or failures that would have precluded normal engine operation. Given the available information, it is likely that the flight instructor allowed the airplane to descend below a normal approach path to the runway, as seen on a previous approach, which resulted in the collision with trees and terrain.
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
What happened, in order
- Collision during takeoff/land during approach (VFR pattern final) defining event
The NTSB's findings
- cause Personnel issues › Task performance › Use of equip/info › Aircraft control › Instructor/check pilot
- cause Aircraft › Aircraft oper/perf/capability › Performance/control parameters › Descent/approach/glide path › Not attained/maintained
- cause Environmental issues › Physical environment › Object/animal/substance › Tree(s) › Contributed to outcome
Flight instructor
- Certificate: flight instructor, commercial pilot
- Ratings: multi-engine land; single-engine land; instructor: airplane multi-engine; instructor: airplane single-engine; instrument: airplane; rotorcraft: helicopter
- Flight time: 850 hours in all
- Medical certificate: Class 1
- Seat: unk
- Injury: serious injuries
Dual student
- Certificate: student
- Flight time: 2 hours in all
- Medical certificate: Class 1 (without waivers/limitations)
- Seat: unk
- Injury: serious injuries
The aircraft
- Airframe total time: 3,605.5 hours
- Last inspection: annual inspection, March 15, 2017; 15 hours since
- Seats: 4
- Landing gear: fixed
- Engine: Lycoming O-320 SERIES (piston); 0 hours total
The flight
- Departed from: X50 Edgewater FL
- Destination: X50 Edgewater FL
- Flight plan: none
- Runway 18, 4,360 ft by 60 ft
- A second pilot was aboard
Weather at the time
- Light: daylight
- Wind: from 200° at 11 knots, gusting 15
- Visibility: 10 statute miles
- Sky: clear
- Temperature: 73°F (23°C), dew point 50°F (10°C)
- Altimeter: 30.03 inHg
- Observation at 3:47 pm from EVB, 4 miles away
Injuries
| Fatal | Serious | Minor | None | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Flight crew | 2 |
Documents from the investigation the NTSB's docket: the evidence folder behind the report
8 documents, released by the NTSB on December 20, 2019. View them here, or download them; the NTSB redacts some personal details before release, and this site shows the NTSB's own titles rather than its file names.
| # | Document | What it is | |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Memorandum for Record - No Recollection of Accident | PDF, 1 page | View Download |
| 2 | FAA Inspector Statements | PDF, 2 pages | View Download |
| 3 | Witness Statement | PDF, 1 page | View Download |
| 4 | NTSB Examination Notes | PDF, 4 pages | View Download |
| 5 | Maintenance Log Excerpts | PDF, 5 pages | View Download |
| 6 | Weather Observations | PDF, 1 page | View Download |
| 7 | Investigative Photographs | PDF, 5 pages | View Download |
| 8 | Statement of Party Representatives to NTSB Investigation | PDF, 11 pages | View Download |
The same docket at the NTSB · documents without a copy here are fetched from the NTSB when you open them.
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.