Piper PA-23-250 accident near Pensacola, Florida, October 16, 1985
On October 16, 1985 at about 4:30 pm local time, a Piper PA-23-250, registered N5815Y, was destroyed in an accident near Pensacola, Florida (Olf Saufley airport). It was a personal flight under general aviation rules (Part 91). 1 person was killed. 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
- October 16, 1985 · about 4:30 pm local time
- Place
- Pensacola, Florida · Olf Saufley · map
- Type
- Accident
- Injuries
- 1 person was killed.
- Weather
- visual conditions (good weather)
- Aircraft
- Piper PA-23-250 · all PA-23-250s on the register
- Registration
- N5815Y · no longer on the register · serial 27-2691
- Damage
- Destroyed
- Flight
- Personal flight · general aviation rules (Part 91)
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
AFTER TAKEOFF ACFT HEADED TO DESTINATION ARPT LOCATED 4 MILES SOUTH. WHEN APRX TWO MILES OUT, THE PLT TURNED BACK TO THE DEPARTURE ARPT. WITNESSES REPORTED THE ACFT WAS IN A SHALLOW DESCENT, LOW AND FAST WHEN IT COLLIDED WITH TREES AND EXPLODED ABOUT 1400 FT SHORT OF THE RWY. THE CABIN DOOR WAS FOUND ABOUT 40 FT IN FRONT OF THE FUSELAGE. NEITHER THE HANDLE NOR THE LOCK PLUNGER WERE IN THE 'LOCKED' POSITION. EXAM OF AIRFRAME, POWERPLANTS, PROPS, FLIGHT CONTROLS AND FUEL SYSTEMS REVEALED NO EVIDENCE OF PRE-IMPACT MALFUNCTION OR FAILURE. A VIAL CONTAINING 'TOLINASE' 250 MG TABLETS WAS FOUUND AT THE ACCIDENT SITE. A PHYSICIAN STATED HE HAD TREATED THE PLT SINCE 1978 FOR VARIOUS ILLNESSES INCLUDING A HISTORY OF GLYCOSURIA AND, AS RECENTLY AS JUNE 1985, HAD PRESCRIBED THREE TABLETS OF 'TOLINASE' A DAY. 14 CFR 61.53 PROHIBITS THE OPERATION OF ACFT AT ANY TIME MEDICATION IS REQUIRED.
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: multi-engine land; single-engine land
- Flight time: 4,705 hours in all; 315 in this make and model; 75 in the last 90 days; 4,620 as pilot in command
- Medical certificate: Class 3 (valid medical--w/ waivers/lim.)
- Seat: left
The aircraft
- Airframe total time: 4,005 hours
- Last inspection: annual inspection, December 28, 1981; 1,400 hours since
- Maximum gross weight: 5,200 lb
- Seats: 6
- Landing gear: retractable
- Engine: Lycoming IO-540-C485 (piston); 0 hours total
- Fire on the ground
The flight
- Departed from: NUN Pensacola FL at 5:25 pm
- Destination: 82J Pensacola FL
- Flight plan: none
- Runway 0
Weather at the time
- Light: daylight
- Wind: from 030° at 5 knots
- Visibility: 7 statute miles
- Sky: broken clouds at 12,000 ft; scat at 2,000 ft
- Temperature: 84°F (29°C), dew point 70°F (21°C)
- Altimeter: 30.00 inHg
- Observation at 5:51 pm from PNS, 9 miles away
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.
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.