Grumman G-73-T incident near St. Croix, April 24, 1985
On April 24, 1985 at about 9:32 pm local time, a Grumman G-73-T, registered N632SS, suffered minor damage in an incident near St. Croix. It was a flight of an unrecorded kind under general aviation rules (Part 91). 1 person had minor injuries; 5 others were unhurt. 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 incident. 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
- April 24, 1985 · about 9:32 pm local time
- Place
- St. Croix
- Type
- Incident
- Injuries
- 1 person had minor injuries; 5 others were unhurt.
- Weather
- visual conditions (good weather)
- Aircraft
- Grumman G-73-T · all G-73-Ts on the register
- Registration
- N632SS · registry record · serial J-32
- Damage
- Minor damage
- Flight
- Flight of an unrecorded kind · general aviation rules (Part 91)
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
WHILE ON AN FAA OBSERVED PROVING FLIGHT, WATER TAKE OFF, THE LEFT PROPELLER ELECTRICAL TERMINAL FAILED. THE PART THEN PENETRATED THE LEFT FORWARD PASSENGER WINDOW AND STRUCK THE FAA OBSERVER CAUSING MINOR INJURY. THE PLASTIC PART FAILED IN OVER LOAD DUE TO INADEQUATE DESIGN.
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
- Ratings: multi-engine land; multi-engine sea; single-engine land; instructor: airplane multi-engine; instructor: airplane single-engine; instructor: instrument airplane; instrument: airplane
- Flight time: 13,155 hours in all; 35 in this make and model; 55 in the last 90 days; 11,775 as pilot in command
- Medical certificate: Class 1 (valid medical--w/ waivers/lim.)
- Seat: left
The aircraft
- Airframe total time: 212 hours
- Last inspection: annual inspection, April 2, 1985; 41 hours since
- Maximum gross weight: 12,750 lb
- Seats: 12
- Landing gear: retractable
- Engine: P&W PT-6A34 (turboprop); 0 hours total
The flight
- Departed from: STX Christiansted at 9:32 pm
- Destination: STT St.Thomas
- Flight plan: VFR
- Runway 0
- A second pilot was aboard
Weather at the time
- Light: daylight
- Visibility: 15 statute miles
- Sky: scat at 2,000 ft
- Temperature: 0°F (-18°C), dew point 0°F (-18°C)
- Altimeter: 29.00 inHg
- Observation at 9:45 pm from STX, 13 miles away
Injuries
| Fatal | Serious | Minor | None | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Crew | 1 | 2 | ||
| Passengers | 3 |
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.