Piper PA-28R-200 accident near Wabasso, Florida, April 10, 1985
On April 10, 1985 at about 5:26 pm local time, a Piper PA-28R-200, registered N2648R, was substantially damaged in an accident near Wabasso, Florida. It was an instructional flight under general aviation rules (Part 91). No one was hurt; 2 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
- April 10, 1985 · about 5:26 pm local time
- Place
- Wabasso, Florida · map
- Type
- Accident
- Injuries
- No one was hurt; 2 people were on board or involved.
- Weather
- visual conditions (good weather)
- Aircraft
- Piper PA-28R-200 · all PA-28R-200s on the register
- Registration
- N2648R · no longer on the register · serial 28R-35240
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Instructional flight · general aviation rules (Part 91)
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
INSTRUCTIONAL FLIGHT PRACTICING STEEP TURNS. ENGINE LOST OIL THROUGH CRACK IN PROPELLER GOVERNOR OIL LINE AND SEIZED. INSTRUCTOR TOOK OVER CONTROL AND LANDED ON A ROAD IN A SAND PIT. PILOT WAS UNABLE TO STEER THROUGH AN 'S' TURN ON THE ROAD AND COLLIDED WITH A SAND HILL. THE AREA OF THE OIL LINE WHERE THE CRACK OCCURRED WAS HEAVILY CORRODED AND IMPROPERLY ATTACHED TO THE ENGINE.
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, flight instructor, commercial pilot
- Ratings: multi-engine land; single-engine land; instructor: airplane multi-engine; instructor: airplane single-engine; instructor: instrument airplane; instrument: airplane
- Flight time: 28,967 hours in all; 350 in this make and model; 3,224 in the last 90 days; 27,983 as pilot in command
- Medical certificate: Class 1 (valid medical--no waivers/lim.)
- Seat: rgt
The aircraft
- Airframe total time: 9,854 hours
- Last inspection: 100-hour inspection, April 5, 1984; 11 hours since
- Maximum gross weight: 2,900 lb
- Seats: 4
- Landing gear: retractable
- Engine: Lycoming IO-360-C1C (piston); 0 hours total
The flight
- Departed from: VRB Vero Beach FL at 4:45 pm
- Flight plan: none
- Runway 0
- A second pilot was aboard
Weather at the time
- Light: daylight
- Wind: from 090° at 14 knots
- Visibility: 7 statute miles
- Sky: broken clouds at 6,000 ft; scat at 3,000 ft
- Temperature: 72°F (22°C), dew point 52°F (11°C)
- Altimeter: 30.00 inHg
- Observation at 5:50 pm from VRB, 6 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.