Piper PA-24-260 accident near Leesburg, Florida, September 16, 1985
On September 16, 1985 at about 7:30 pm local time, a Piper PA-24-260, registered N9213P, was substantially damaged in an accident near Leesburg, Florida (Leesburg 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
- September 16, 1985 · about 7:30 pm local time
- Place
- Leesburg, Florida · Leesburg
- Type
- Accident
- Injuries
- No one was hurt; 1 person was on board or involved.
- Weather
- visual conditions (good weather)
- Aircraft
- Piper PA-24-260 · all PA-24-260s on the register
- Registration
- N9213P · no longer on the register · serial 24-4709
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Personal flight · general aviation rules (Part 91)
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
THE PILOT STATED HE WAS TAXIING ON A SMOOTH ASPHALT TAXIWAY IN PREPARATION FOR TAKEOFF WHEN THE LANDING GEAR COLLAPSED. A POST- ACCIDENT EXAMINATION OF LANDING GEAR FAILED TO REVEAL ANY MALFUNCTION OR FAILURE THAT WOULD HAVE PRECLUDED NORMAL OPERATION OF THE SYSTEM.
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: 688 hours in all; 17 in this make and model; 25 in the last 90 days; 571 as pilot in command
- Medical certificate: Class 3 (valid medical--no waivers/lim.)
- Seat: left
The aircraft
- Airframe total time: 2,126 hours
- Last inspection: annual inspection, September 14, 1985; 1 hours since
- Maximum gross weight: 3,200 lb
- Seats: 5
- Landing gear: retractable
- Engine: Lycoming IO-540-D4A5 (piston); 0 hours total
The flight
- Destination: OCF Ocala FL
- Flight plan: none
- Runway 0
Weather at the time
- Light: daylight
- Wind: from 080° at 15 knots
- Visibility: 15 statute miles
- Sky: scat at 3,500 ft
- Temperature: 84°F (29°C), dew point 66°F (19°C)
- Altimeter: 29.00 inHg
- Observation at 7:51 pm from ORL
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.
Other NTSB records under N9213P the same tail number, which may have belonged to a different aircraft at the time
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.