Amateur-built AA-5 accident near Horseshoe Beach, Florida, February 28, 1985
On February 28, 1985 at about 3:39 am local time, a amateur-built AA-5, registered N9228L, was destroyed in an accident near Horseshoe Beach, Florida. It was a personal flight under general aviation rules (Part 91). 1 person was 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
- February 28, 1985 · about 3:39 am local time
- Place
- Horseshoe Beach, Florida · map
- Type
- Accident
- Injuries
- 1 person was killed.
- Weather
- visual conditions (good weather)
- Aircraft
- Amateur-built AA-5
- Registration
- N9228L · registry record · serial AA5-0228
- Damage
- Destroyed
- Flight
- Personal flight · general aviation rules (Part 91)
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
THE ACFT CRASHED IN THE GULF OF MEXICO WHILE THE PLT WAS ON A NIGHT X-COUNTRY FLT. THE WX AT THE DESTINATION HAD BEEN FORCAST TO BE IFR. HOWEVER, IN THE AREA OF THE ACCIDENT, WITNESSES STATED THE WX WAS GOOD WITH NO FOG & IT WAS A DARK NIGHT. WHEN THE ACFT DID NOT ARRIVE, A SEARCH WAS INITIATED. THE WRECKAGE WAS FOUND THE NEXT DAY AT 1106 EST WHERE THE ACFT CRASHED ABOUT 3 MI SOUTH OF HORSESHOE BEACH. NO PREIMPACT PART FAILURE OR MALFUNCTION WAS FOUND. RADAR DATA SHOWED THAT THE ACFT HAD ENTERED A SPIRAL BEFORE CONTACT WAS LOST IN THE VICINITY OF THE CRASH SITE. A CHECK OF THE PLT'S BLOOD SHOWED A SLIGHT AMOUNT OF ALCOHOL; HOWEVER, SOME OR ALL OF THIS COULD HAVE BEEN ATTRIBUTED TO PUTREFACTION.
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: 644 hours in all; 22 in this make and model; 11 in the last 90 days; 8 in the last 30 days; 604 as pilot in command
- Medical certificate: Class 2 (valid medical--w/ waivers/lim.)
- Seat: left
The aircraft
- Airframe total time: 1,150 hours
- Last inspection: annual inspection; 42 hours since
- Maximum gross weight: 2,200 lb
- Seats: 4
- Landing gear: fixed
- Engine: Lycoming O-320-E2G (piston); 0 hours total
The flight
- Departed from: MOB Mobile AL
- Destination: TPA Tampa FL
- Flight plan: VFR
- Runway 0
Weather at the time
- Light: night, dark
- Wind: from 310° at 5 knots
- Visibility: 7 statute miles
- Sky: scat at 25,000 ft
- Temperature: 66°F (19°C), dew point 61°F (16°C)
- Altimeter: 30.00 inHg
- Observation at 3:49 am from GNV, 55 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.