Piper PA-28R-200 accident near Merritt Island, Florida, February 7, 1985
On February 7, 1985 at about 6:45 pm local time, a Piper PA-28R-200, registered N8591N, was substantially damaged in an accident near Merritt Island, Florida (Merritt Island airport). It was a personal flight under general aviation rules (Part 91). No one was hurt; 1 person was 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
- February 7, 1985 · about 6:45 pm local time
- Place
- Merritt Island, Florida · Merritt Island · map
- Type
- Accident
- Injuries
- No one was hurt; 1 person was on board or involved.
- Weather
- visual conditions (good weather)
- Aircraft
- Piper PA-28R-200 · all PA-28R-200s on the register
- Registration
- N8591N · no longer on the register · serial 28R7135127
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Personal flight · general aviation rules (Part 91)
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
PLT LOST DIRECTIONAL CONTROL AND THE ACFT COLLIDED WITH A DIRT EMBANKMENT WHILE LANDING. THE ACFT WAS LANDED WITH A RIGHT REAR CROSSWIND.
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: 250 hours in all; 11 in this make and model; 39 in the last 90 days; 219 as pilot in command
- Medical certificate: Class 2 (valid medical--w/ waivers/lim.)
- Seat: left
The aircraft
- Airframe total time: 3,627 hours
- Last inspection: 100-hour inspection, November 9, 1984; 22 hours since
- Maximum gross weight: 2,650 lb
- Seats: 4
- Landing gear: retractable
- Engine: Lycoming IO-360-C1C (piston); 0 hours total
The flight
- Departed from: COI Merritt Island FL
- Destination: COI Merritt Island FL
- Flight plan: none
- Runway 29, 3,600 ft by 75 ft
Weather at the time
- Light: daylight
- Wind: from 030° at 17 knots
- Visibility: 6 statute miles
- Sky: broken clouds at 2,000 ft; not recorded
- Temperature: 61°F (16°C), dew point 55°F (13°C)
- Altimeter: 30.00 inHg
- Observation at 1:45 pm from TIX, 12 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.