Piper PA-28-161 accident near Lehigh Acres, Florida, March 2, 1983
On March 2, 1983 at about 11:30 pm local time, a Piper PA-28-161, registered N8445G, was substantially damaged in an accident near Lehigh Acres, Florida. It was an instructional flight under general aviation rules (Part 91). No one was hurt; 4 people were 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
- March 2, 1983 · about 11:30 pm local time
- Place
- Lehigh Acres, Florida · map
- Type
- Accident
- Injuries
- No one was hurt; 4 people were on board or involved.
- Weather
- visual conditions (good weather)
- Aircraft
- Piper PA-28-161 · all PA-28-161s on the register
- Registration
- N8445G · registry record · serial 28-8216017
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Instructional flight · general aviation rules (Part 91)
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
DURING A SIMULATED, ENGINE-OUT, EMERGENCY, THE STUDENT ELECTED TO MAKE AN APPROACH TO A PAVED ROAD. WHILE TURNING TO A FINAL APPROACH AT ABOUT 300 FT AGL, THE INSTRUCTOR PILOT (CFI) OBSERVED POWER LINES IN THEIR PATH. THE CFI ADVISED THE STUDENT TO GO AROUND. THE STUDENT RAISED THE NOSE WITHOUT ADDING POWER AND THE ACFT BEGAN TO STALL. THE CFI IMMEDIATELY TRIED TO ASSUME CONTROL OF THE PLANE, BUT AT FIRST, THE STUDENT WOULD NOT RELINQUISH THE CONTROLS. THE CFI FINALLY RECOVERED FROM THE STALL. REPORTEDLY HE HAD TO FLY BENEATH THE POWER LINES. THE ACFT CLEARED UNDER THE POWER LINES, BUT THE LEFT WING STRUCK AN 8 FT STREET SIGN. THE OUTBOARD 4 FT OF THE WING SEPARATED AND THE PLANE CRASHED.
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: single-engine land; instructor: airplane single-engine; instrument: airplane
- Flight time: 947 hours in all; 48 in this make and model; 318 in the last 90 days; 755 as pilot in command
- Medical certificate: Class 1 (valid medical--no waivers/lim.)
- Seat: rgt
The aircraft
- Airframe total time: 643 hours
- Last inspection: annual inspection, January 28, 1983; 43 hours since
- Maximum gross weight: 2,325 lb
- Seats: 4
- Landing gear: fixed
- Engine: Lycoming O-230-D3G (piston); 0 hours total
The flight
- Departed from: FMY Ft. Myers FL at 9:00 pm
- Flight plan: none
- Runway 0
Weather at the time
- Light: dusk
- Wind: from 290° at 10 knots
- Visibility: 15 statute miles
- Sky: clear
- Temperature: 70°F (21°C), dew point 52°F (11°C)
- Altimeter: 30.00 inHg
- Observation at 10:52 pm from FMY, 15 miles away
Injuries
| Fatal | Serious | Minor | None | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Crew | 2 | |||
| Passengers | 2 |
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 N8445G 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.