Piper PA-32R accident near W. Palm Beach, Florida, February 28, 1985
On February 28, 1985 at about 5:04 pm local time, a Piper PA-32R, registered N120DG, was substantially damaged in an accident near W. Palm Beach, Florida (W. Palm Beach airport). It was an executive or corporate flight under general aviation rules (Part 91). 1 person had minor injuries; 3 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 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 4, 2026. Docket and reports at the NTSB.
What the record shows
- Date
- February 28, 1985 · about 5:04 pm local time
- Place
- W. Palm Beach, Florida · W. Palm Beach · map
- Type
- Accident
- Injuries
- 1 person had minor injuries; 3 others were unhurt.
- Weather
- visual conditions (good weather)
- Aircraft
- Piper PA-32R · all PA-32Rs on the register
- Registration
- N120DG · registry record · serial 32R8129077
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Executive or corporate flight · general aviation rules (Part 91)
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
WHILE EN ROUTE, THE PLT CONTACTED PALM BEACH APCH CONTROL & OBTAIN FLT FOLLOWING. HE REPORTED THAT HE WAS 20 MI NORTH & WISHED TO PROCEED SOUTHBOUND ALONG THE COAST. THE CONTROLLER ACKNOWLEDGED THE REQUEST & ADVISED THE PLT TO REMAIN VFR. THE CONTROLLER DID NOT SPECIFY AN ALTITUDE, BUT QUERRIED AS TO WHETHER THE PLT INTENDED TO REMAIN BELOW 1000 FT. THE PLT DESCENDED FROM 1500 FT TO 700 FT & CONTD. SUBSEQUENTLY, THE CONTROLLER ADVISED THE PLT OF HEAVY JET TRAFFIC AT HIS 1 O'CLOCK PSN AT 1-1/2 MI, HEADING WESTBOUND. APRX 1 MIN LATER, THE PLT OF N120DG REPORTED THAT HE HAD JUST ENCOUNTERED WAKE TURBULENCE FROM THE HEAVY JET. THE PLT CONTD TO HIS DESTINATION. AFTER LANDING, THE PASSENGER, WHO RECEIVED MINOR INJURIES, WAS TAKEN TO A HOSPITAL, TREATED & RELEASED. THE PLT FLEW THE ACFT BACK TO DAYTONA. DURING A POST FLIGHT INSPECTION, SUBSTANTIAL DAMAGE WAS FND WHICH INCLUDED WRINKLED WING SKIN, POPPED RIVETS & DEFORMATION OF THE FIREWALL.
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: flight instructor, commercial pilot
- Ratings: multi-engine land; single-engine land; instructor: airplane multi-engine; instructor: airplane single-engine; instrument: airplane
- Flight time: 3,132 hours in all; 119 in this make and model; 46 in the last 90 days; 2,963 as pilot in command
- Medical certificate: Class 1 (valid medical--w/ waivers/lim.)
- Seat: left
The aircraft
- Airframe total time: 586 hours
- Last inspection: 100-hour inspection, July 1, 1984
- Maximum gross weight: 3,600 lb
- Seats: 6
- Landing gear: retractable
- Engine: Lycoming TIO-540 (piston); 0 hours total
The flight
- Departed from: X82 Ft. Pierce FL
- Destination: HWO Hollywood FL
- Flight plan: none
- Runway 27R, 7,991 ft by 150 ft
Weather at the time
- Light: daylight
- Wind: from 320° at 4 knots
- Visibility: 7 statute miles
- Sky: clear
- Temperature: 82°F (28°C), dew point 59°F (15°C)
- Altimeter: 30.00 inHg
- Observation at 4:50 pm from PBI, 1 miles away
Injuries
| Fatal | Serious | Minor | None | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Crew | 1 | |||
| Passengers | 1 | 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.
About this page
Everything above comes from the NTSB's public accident database: the narrative, probable cause and findings are the NTSB's own words, and the coded tables behind its report (pilot, aircraft, flight, weather, injuries, sequence of events) are written out in plain English. Pilots' ages, home towns and medical details are left out on purpose. The documents and photographs are the NTSB's docket, the folder of records gathered during the investigation, shown as the NTSB released them (the NTSB redacts some personal details first) and listed under the NTSB's own titles. This site's own text never names pilots, passengers or anyone else involved. A preliminary report describes what is known soon after the event and can change; the final report, with the probable cause, usually follows one to two years later and this page is refreshed when it does. Case number MIA85LA111.