Piper PA-28-180 accident near South Bay, Florida, July 26, 1985
On July 26, 1985 at about 12:15 pm local time, a Piper PA-28-180, registered N32576, was substantially damaged in an accident near South Bay, Florida. It was a personal flight under general aviation rules (Part 91). No one was hurt; 4 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
- July 26, 1985 · about 12:15 pm local time
- Place
- South Bay, Florida · map
- Type
- Accident
- Injuries
- No one was hurt; 4 people were on board or involved.
- Weather
- visual conditions (good weather)
- Aircraft
- Piper PA-28-180 · all PA-28-180s on the register
- Registration
- N32576 · no longer on the register · serial 28-7505074
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Personal flight · general aviation rules (Part 91)
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
THE ENG LOST PWR DURING A SIGHTSEEING FLT AT 1200 FT MSL AND THE PLT SELECTED A DIVIDED HWY FOR AN EMERGENCY LANDING TO THE WEST. BECAUSE HE WAS OVERTAKING A TRUCK ON THE WESTBOUND LANES, THE PLT TRIED TO LAND ON THE MEDIAN STRIP. THE ACFT WAS CAUGHT IN THE TRUCK'S WAKE TURBULENCE, THE RIGHT WHEEL HIT HARD AND WAS TORN OFF THE STRUT. THE ACFT VEERED ACROSS THE HWY AND CAME TO REST ON THE NORTH SHOULDER HEADING IN ALMOST THE OPPOSITE DIRECTION. A CONNECTING ROD WAS PROTRUDINGTHROUGH THE ENG CASE. THE ROD BOLTS WERE FOUND MISSING.
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
- Flight time: 73 hours in all; 4 in this make and model; 4 in the last 90 days; 35 as pilot in command
- Medical certificate: Class 3 (valid medical--w/ waivers/lim.)
- Seat: left
The aircraft
- Airframe total time: 2,611 hours
- Last inspection: annual inspection, August 10, 1984; 173 hours since
- Maximum gross weight: 2,175 lb
- Seats: 4
- Landing gear: fixed
- Engine: Lycoming O-360-A4A (piston); 0 hours total
The flight
- Departed from: BCT Boca Raton FL at 11:45 am
- Destination: FXE Ft.Lauderdale FL
- Flight plan: none
- Runway 0
Weather at the time
- Light: daylight
- Visibility: 10 statute miles
- Sky: scat at 2,000 ft
- Temperature: 82°F (28°C), dew point 73°F (23°C)
- Altimeter: 30.00 inHg
- Observation at 11:50 am from PBI, 35 miles away
Injuries
| Fatal | Serious | Minor | None | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Crew | 1 | |||
| Passengers | 3 |
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.