Amateur-built FALCO F8L accident near Gainesville, Florida, March 17, 1985
On March 17, 1985 at about 1:14 am local time, a amateur-built FALCO F8L, registered N545SF, was destroyed in an accident near Gainesville, Florida (Alachua County Regional airport). It was a personal flight under general aviation rules (Part 91). 2 people were killed. The weather was instrument conditions (cloud, fog or low visibility).
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 17, 1985 · about 1:14 am local time
- Place
- Gainesville, Florida · Alachua County Regional
- Type
- Accident
- Injuries
- 2 people were killed.
- Weather
- instrument conditions (cloud, fog or low visibility)
- Aircraft
- Amateur-built FALCO F8L
- Registration
- N545SF · registry record · serial 545
- Damage
- Destroyed
- Flight
- Personal flight · general aviation rules (Part 91)
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
THE PLT RECEIVED A WX BRIEFING & FILED AN IFR CLNC, THEN DEPARTED VFR. EXCEPT FOR A HDWND, THE 1ST PART OF THE FLT WAS NORMAL. IN THE VCNTY OF MACON, GA, THE PLT REQUESTED & RECEIVED AN IFR CLNC. LATER, HE ELECTED TO DIVERT TO THE GAINES- VILLE RGNL ARPT & WAS VECTORED FOR AN ILS 28 APCH. WHILE DIVERTING, HE INDICATED SOME CONFUSION CONCERNING THE APCH PLATES; AT 1ST, HE STARTED USING THE GAINESVILLE, GA PLATE, THEN HE SWITCHED TO THE CORRECT PLATE (GAINESVILLE, FL). HE HAD DIFFICULTY MAINTAINING HEADING ON THE ILS & MADE A MISSED APCH 2 MI EAST OF THE ARPT. HE ADMITTED HAVING PROBLEMS WITH THE APCH, DECLARED A LOW FUEL STATE & RECEIVED VECTORS FOR ANOTHER ILS. AGAIN, HE HAD DIFFICULTY MAINTAINING HEADING CONTROL. ON THE 2ND APCH, THE ACFT WAS OBSERVED TO FLY OVER THE FIELD & THE PLT WAS CLEARED TO LAND ON ANY RWY. HOWEVER, THE ACFT CRASHED ON THE APCH END OF RWY 6. THERE WAS EVIDENCE OF LITTLE MOVEMENT AFTER IMPACT & VERY LITTLE CHORDWISE SCRAPING OF THE PROP. NO FUEL WAS FOUND IN THE FUEL TANKS OR FUEL INJECTOR LINES.
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; instrument: airplane
- Flight time: 380 hours in all
- Medical certificate: Class 2 (valid medical--w/ waivers/lim.)
- Seat: rgt
The aircraft
- Airframe total time: 499 hours
- Last inspection: inspection type not recorded
- Maximum gross weight: 1,880 lb
- Seats: 2
- Landing gear: retractable
- Engine: Lycoming IO-320-B1A (piston); 0 hours total
The flight
- Departed from: BWG Bowling Green KY
- Destination: GNV Gainesville FL
- Flight plan: IFR
- Runway 28, 6,503 ft by 150 ft
- A second pilot was aboard
Weather at the time
- Light: night, dark
- Wind: from 040° at 4 knots
- Visibility: 1 statute miles
- Sky: overcast at 300 ft; not recorded at 300 ft
- Temperature: 63°F (17°C), dew point 63°F (17°C)
- Altimeter: 29.00 inHg
- Observation at 1:19 am from GNV, 1 miles away
Injuries
| Fatal | Serious | Minor | None | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Crew | 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.
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.