Piper P-60-601P accident near Titusville, Florida, May 18, 1982
On May 18, 1982 at about 7:48 pm local time, a Piper P-60-601P, registered N90702, was destroyed in an accident near Titusville, Florida (Tico airport). It was a business flight under general aviation rules (Part 91). 1 person was killed and 1 person was seriously injured. 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 18, 1982 · about 7:48 pm local time
- Place
- Titusville, Florida · Tico · map
- Type
- Accident
- Injuries
- 1 person was killed and 1 person was seriously injured.
- Weather
- visual conditions (good weather)
- Aircraft
- Piper P-60-601P
- Registration
- N90702 · no longer on the register · serial 61P-0339-100
- Damage
- Destroyed
- Flight
- Business flight · general aviation rules (Part 91)
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
SHORTLY AFTER TAKEOFF WITNESSES OBSERVED THE ACFT IN A STEEP LEFT BANK DESCENDING UNTIL IT CRASHED APPROXIMATELY 1200 FTNW OF THE DEPARTURE END OF THE RWY. ACCORDING TO THE PAX THE INITIAL CLIMB DISTRACTING THE ATTENTION OF THE PLT WHO LOSTCONTROL OF THE ACFT WHILE ATTEMPTING TO CLOSE THE DOOR. THE INADVERTENT OPENING OF THE TOP SECTION OF THE CABIN DOOR IN FLIGHT IS NOT CONSIDERED CRITICAL. THE BEFORE STARTING ENGINES & BEFORE TAKEOFF CHECK LISTS CALL FOR "CABIN DOOR CLOSED AND LOCKED PIN INDICATORS CHECK ON GREEN MARK." ACCORDING TO THE PAX THE PLT PERFORMED A COCKPIT CHECK WITHOUT THE AID OF A WRITTEN CHECK LIST.
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: commercial pilot
- Ratings: multi-engine land; single-engine land; instrument: airplane
- Flight time: 4,119 hours in all; 210 in the last 90 days; 44 in the last 30 days; 3,750 as pilot in command
- Medical certificate: Class 1 (valid medical--w/ waivers/lim.)
- Seat: unk
The aircraft
- Airframe total time: 1,732 hours
- Last inspection: inspection type not recorded; 0 hours since
- Maximum gross weight: 6,000 lb
- Seats: 6
- Landing gear: retractable
- Engine: Lycoming IO-540-S1AS (piston); 0 hours total
- Fire on the ground
- Operator: Air Security Transport
The flight
- Departed from: TIX Titusville FL at 3:48 pm
- Destination: VRB Vero Beach FL
- Flight plan: none
- Runway 36, 6,000 ft by 150 ft
Weather at the time
- Light: daylight
- Wind: from 090° at 10 knots
- Visibility: 7 statute miles
- Sky: not recorded; not recorded
- Temperature: 172°F (78°C), dew point 0°F (-18°C)
- Altimeter: 30.00 inHg
- Observation at 3:51 pm from TIX
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.