Piper PA-28-161 accident near West Palm Beach, Florida, October 19, 1984
On October 19, 1984 at about 11:12 pm local time, a Piper PA-28-161, registered N5926V, was involved in an accident near West Palm Beach, Florida (Palm Beach International airport). It was a personal flight under general aviation rules (Part 91). No one was hurt; 3 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
- October 19, 1984 · about 11:12 pm local time
- Place
- West Palm Beach, Florida · Palm Beach International · map
- Type
- Accident
- Injuries
- No one was hurt; 3 people were on board or involved.
- Weather
- visual conditions (good weather)
- Aircraft
- Piper PA-28-161 · all PA-28-161s on the register
- Registration
- N5926V · no longer on the register · serial 287716217
- Damage
- Not recorded
- Flight
- Personal flight · general aviation rules (Part 91)
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
THE PLT STATED THAT WHILE STANDING ON THE RAMP WITH THE ENG RUNNING IN PREPARATION FOR FLT, THEY WERE HAVING DIFFICULTY CLOSING THE ACFT DOOR. A PASSENGER GOT OUT TO LOOK FOR HELP BUT ONCE OUT OF THE ACFT WALKED ALONG THE RT WING LEADING EDGE UP TO THE ENG COWLING AND FROM THERE TRIED TO CLOSE THE DOOR SEVERAL TIMES. WHILE DOING SO THE PASSENGER WAS HIT BY THE PROPELLER.
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; rotorcraft: helicopter
- Flight time: 180 hours in all; 15 in this make and model; 14 in the last 90 days; 10 in the last 30 days; 122 as pilot in command
- Medical certificate: Class 1 (valid medical--no waivers/lim.)
- Seat: left
The aircraft
- Airframe total time: 3,206 hours
- Last inspection: annual inspection, May 24, 1984; 11 hours since
- Maximum gross weight: 2,150 lb
- Seats: 4
- Landing gear: fixed
- Engine: Lycoming O-320-3GA (piston); 0 hours total
The flight
- Destination: TIX Cocoa FL
- Flight plan: none
- Runway 0
Weather at the time
- Light: night, dark
- Wind: from 090° at 9 knots
- Visibility: 12 statute miles
- Sky: scat at 2,800 ft
- Temperature: 79°F (26°C), dew point 66°F (19°C)
- Altimeter: 30.00 inHg
- Observation at 10:48 pm from PBI
Injuries
| Fatal | Serious | Minor | None | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Crew | 1 | |||
| 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.
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.