Piper PA-38-112 accident near Fellsmere, Florida, June 26, 1982
On June 26, 1982 at about 4:30 pm local time, a Piper PA-38-112, registered N2437K, was substantially damaged in an accident near Fellsmere, Florida. It was an instructional flight under general aviation rules (Part 91). 1 person had minor injuries. 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 26, 1982 · about 4:30 pm local time
- Place
- Fellsmere, Florida
- Type
- Accident
- Injuries
- 1 person had minor injuries.
- Weather
- visual conditions (good weather)
- Aircraft
- Piper PA-38-112 · all PA-38-112s on the register
- Registration
- N2437K · no longer on the register · serial 7980634
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Instructional flight · general aviation rules (Part 91)
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
THE PILOT WAS A FOREIGN NATIONAL WITH A PRIVATE PILOT CERTIFICATE AND WAS ON A SOLO INSTRUCTIONAL FLIGHT. HE REPORTED THAT THE ENGINE LOST POWER WHILE HE WAS PRACTICING S-TURNS AT 800 FT. HE STATED THAT HE ACCOMPLISHED THE PROCEDURE FOR AN ENGINE FAILURE, BUT IT WOULD NOT RESTART. WHILE LANDING ON A ROAD ON TOP OF A DYKE, THE AIRCRAFT HIT A GOUGE, SKIDDED FROM THE ROAD, AND WENT DOWN AN EMBANKMENT. AN EXAMINATION OF THE WRECKAGE REVEALED NO MECHANICAL MALFUNCTION OR PREIMPACT FAILURES. THE TEMPERATURE AND DEW POINT WERE 88 AND 72 DEGREES FAHRENHEIT. ACCORDING TO THE ICING PROBABILITY CHART, CONDITIONS CONDUCIVE TO VISIBLE INDUCTION ICING WOULD HAVE BEEN POSSIBLE DURING IDLE AND CRUISE POWER.
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: 177 hours in all; 177 in this make and model; 95 in the last 90 days; 95 as pilot in command
- Medical certificate: Class 1 (valid medical--no waivers/lim.)
- Seat: unk
The aircraft
- Airframe total time: 1,633 hours
- Last inspection: inspection type not recorded; 54 hours since
- Maximum gross weight: 1,670 lb
- Seats: 2
- Landing gear: fixed
- Engine: Lycoming O-235 (piston); 0 hours total
- Operator: Flight Safety International
The flight
- Departed from: Vero Beach FL at 9:30 am
- Destination: Vero Beach FL
- Flight plan: none
- Runway 0
Weather at the time
- Light: daylight
- Wind: from 130° at 8 knots
- Visibility: 10 statute miles
- Sky: broken clouds at 30,000 ft; scat at 2,000 ft
- Temperature: 190°F (88°C), dew point 0°F (-18°C)
- Altimeter: 30.00 inHg
- Observation at 1:40 pm from VRB, 15 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.
Other NTSB records under N2437K 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.