Piper PA-38-112 accident near Vero Beach, Florida, April 16, 1985
On April 16, 1985 at about 5:20 pm local time, a Piper PA-38-112, registered N2428D, was substantially damaged in an accident near Vero Beach, Florida (Vero Beach Municipal airport). 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 16, 1985 · about 5:20 pm local time
- Place
- Vero Beach, Florida · Vero Beach Municipal · map
- Type
- Accident
- Injuries
- No one was hurt; 2 people were on board or involved.
- Weather
- visual conditions (good weather)
- Aircraft
- Piper PA-38-112 · all PA-38-112s on the register
- Registration
- N2428D · registry record · serial 38-79A0310
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Instructional flight · general aviation rules (Part 91)
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
DURING A STUDENT TRNG FLT THE INSTRUCTOR PILOT STATED THAT HE REDUCED THROTTLE ON TAKEOFF AT ABOUT 75 FT AGL, TO SIMULATE AN ENGINE FAILURE. THE STUDENT PILOT PITCHED THE NOSE OF THE ACFT UP AND THE INSTRUCTOR PILOT TOOK OVER CONTROL OF THE ACFT, LOWERED THE NOSE, ADDED PWR, AND ATTEMPTED TO FLARE THE ACFT. HE STATED HE RAN OUT OF AFT ELEVATOR AND THE ACFT STALLED & LANDED HARD.
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 single-engine
- Flight time: 1,350 in this make and model
- Medical certificate: Class 1 (valid medical--no waivers/lim.)
- Seat: rgt
The aircraft
- Airframe total time: 3,034 hours
- Last inspection: 100-hour inspection, March 25, 1984; 34 hours since
- Maximum gross weight: 1,670 lb
- Seats: 2
- Landing gear: fixed
- Engine: Lycoming O-235-L2C (piston); 0 hours total
The flight
- Departed from: VRB Vero Beach FL
- Flight plan: none
- Runway 29L, 6,271 ft by 100 ft
- A second pilot was aboard
Weather at the time
- Light: daylight
- Wind: from 280° at 7 knots
- Visibility: 10 statute miles
- Sky: clear
- Temperature: 79°F (26°C), dew point 55°F (13°C)
- Altimeter: 29.00 inHg
- Observation at 5:50 pm from VRB
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.