Piper PA-32R-300 accident near Homestead, Florida, December 27, 1984
On December 27, 1984 at about 7:00 am local time, a Piper PA-32R-300, registered N8920C, was destroyed in an accident near Homestead, Florida. It was a flight of an unrecorded kind under general aviation rules (Part 91). 2 people were killed. 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
- December 27, 1984 · about 7:00 am local time
- Place
- Homestead, Florida · map
- Type
- Accident
- Injuries
- 2 people were killed.
- Weather
- visual conditions (good weather)
- Aircraft
- Piper PA-32R-300 · all PA-32R-300s on the register
- Registration
- N8920C · no longer on the register · serial 32R-7680143
- Damage
- Destroyed
- Flight
- Flight of an unrecorded kind · general aviation rules (Part 91)
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
WHILE CRUISING NORTHERLY AT A LOW ALTITUDE DURING A DARK NIGHT, THE ACFT STRUCK A ROW OF TREES APPX 50 FT TALL ABOUT 8 FT FROM THE TOPS, IT THEN HIT A LARGE TREE AT ABOUT 6 FT AGL, 670 FT FROM THE INITIAL IMPACT POINT, & CAME TO REST IN A DIRT ROAD. AN EXAM OF THE WRECKAGE REVEALED NO MECHANICAL MALFUNCTION. THE PASSENGER HAD A BLOOD/ALCOHOL LEVEL OF 0.215%. AN ALCOHOL TEST OF THE PLT'S BLOOD WAS NEGATIVE. NO ONE CLAIMED THE WRECKAGE & NO ID WAS FOUND ON THE OCCUPANTS.
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: airline transport pilot, flight instructor
- Ratings: multi-engine land; single-engine land; instructor: airplane multi-engine; instructor: airplane single-engine; instructor: instrument airplane; instrument: airplane
- Flight time: 3,000 hours in all
- Medical certificate: Class 1 (valid medical--no waivers/lim.)
- Seat: left
The aircraft
- Last inspection: inspection type not recorded; 1 hours since
- Maximum gross weight: 3,400 lb
- Seats: 6
- Landing gear: retractable
- Engine: Lycoming IO-540-A1G5D (piston); 0 hours total
The flight
- Flight plan: none
- Runway 0
Weather at the time
- Light: night, dark
- Wind: from 090° at 7 knots
- Visibility: 8 statute miles
- Sky: clear
- Temperature: 73°F (23°C), dew point 66°F (19°C)
- Altimeter: 30.00 inHg
- Observation at 6:50 am from TMB, 3 miles away
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.