Piper PA-38-112 accident near Ft. Pierce, Florida, May 31, 1982
On May 31, 1982 at about 7:30 pm local time, a Piper PA-38-112, registered N9655T, was substantially damaged in an accident near Ft. Pierce, Florida (St. Lucie County airport). It was an instructional 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
- May 31, 1982 · about 7:30 pm local time
- Place
- Ft. Pierce, Florida · St. Lucie County
- Type
- Accident
- Injuries
- No one was hurt; 1 person was on board or involved.
- Weather
- visual conditions (good weather)
- Aircraft
- Piper PA-38-112 · all PA-38-112s on the register
- Registration
- N9655T · no longer on the register · serial 38 78AQ152
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Instructional flight · general aviation rules (Part 91)
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
ACCORDING TO THE STUDENT PILOT, THE NOSE GEAR COLLAPSED DURING THE TAKEOFF ROLL AFTER HE APPLIED BACK PRESSURE FOR A CLIMB ATTITUDE AT ABOUT 60 TO 62 KNOTS. HE STATED THAT THE AIRCRAFT DID NOT WANT TO CLIMB, AND SIMULTANEOUSLY, THE NOSE DROPPED. AN INVESTIGATION REVEALED THAT THE PLANE HAD BEEN INVOLVED IN A HARD LANDING ABOUT THREE WEEKS PREVIOUSLY. THE PROPELLER AND ENGINE MOUNT HAD BEEN REPLACED, BUT THERE WAS NO LOGBOOK ENTRY REGARDING ANY REPAIR ON THE LANDING GEAR SYSTEM. AN EXAMINATION OF THE LANDING GEAR FRACTURE DID NOT SHOW EVIDENCE OF CORROSION, FATIGUE, OR PREVIOUS CRACK.
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: student
- Flight time: 39 hours in all; 15 in this make and model; 34 in the last 90 days; 8 as pilot in command
- Medical certificate: Class 3 (valid medical--w/ waivers/lim.)
- Seat: unk
The aircraft
- Airframe total time: 1,433 hours
- Last inspection: inspection type not recorded; 72 hours since
- Maximum gross weight: 1,670 lb
- Seats: 2
- Landing gear: fixed
- Engine: Lycoming O-235-L2C (piston); 0 hours total
- Operator: Stanford Aviation, INC.
The flight
- Departed from: FPR Ft. Pierce FL at 2:30 pm
- Destination: FPR Ft. Pierce FL
- Flight plan: none
- Runway 22, 5,000 ft by 200 ft
Weather at the time
- Light: daylight
- Wind: from 240° at 10 knots
- Visibility: 7 statute miles
- Sky: broken clouds at 5,000 ft; not recorded
- Temperature: 174°F (79°C), dew point 0°F (-18°C)
- Altimeter: 29.00 inHg
- Observation at 3:54 pm from VRB, 12 miles away
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.
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.