Piper PA-32-260 accident near Sorrento, Florida, November 9, 1985
On November 9, 1985 at about 6:12 pm local time, a Piper PA-32-260, registered N4862S, was destroyed in an accident near Sorrento, Florida. It was a personal flight under general aviation rules (Part 91). 3 people were killed. The weather was instrument conditions (cloud, fog or low visibility).
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
- November 9, 1985 · about 6:12 pm local time
- Place
- Sorrento, Florida · map
- Type
- Accident
- Injuries
- 3 people were killed.
- Weather
- instrument conditions (cloud, fog or low visibility)
- Aircraft
- Piper PA-32-260 · all PA-32-260s on the register
- Registration
- N4862S · no longer on the register · serial 32-1297
- Damage
- Destroyed
- Flight
- Personal flight · general aviation rules (Part 91)
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
THE FLT WAS ON A VFR X-COUNTRY AT 9500 FT WITH ATC FLT FOLLOWING.THE NON-INSTRUMENT RATED PLT ADVISED ATC THAT HE WAS UNABLE TO MAINTAIN VFR & CLIMBED TO 11,000 FT. HE AGAIN AVISED HE WAS UNABLE TO MAINTAIN VFR & WAS GOING TO DESCEND. THE ACFT WAS OBSERVED BY ATC TO ENTER A LEFT TURN FROM SSE THROUGH NORTH THROUGH WEST, WHERE IT DISAPPEARED FROM THE RADAR SCOPE. A PLT WITNESS ON THE GROUND HEARD THE ACFT IN THE CLOUDS AS ENGINE POWER WAS INCREASED & DECREASED, THEN OBSERVED THE ACFT EMERGE FROM THE CLOUD BASE IN A SPIN WITH A PORTION OF THE RIGHT WING MISSING. THE ACFT CRASHED INTO A SWAMP KILLING ALL 3 OCCUPANTS.ON THE PREVIOUS DAY, A MECHANIC HAD ADVISED THE PLT THAT THE ENGINE DRIVEN VACCUM PUMP WAS INOP. THE ATTITUDE INDICATOR & HEADING INDICATOR ARE VACCUM POWERED. THE GROUND WITNESS STATED THAT AT THE TIME OF THE ACCIDENT, IT WAS VFR AT GROUND LEVEL WITH THE CLOUD BASE ESTIMATED AT 2000 FT & VISIBILITY AT LEAST 5 MI.
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: 300 hours in all
- Medical certificate: Class 3 (valid medical--no waivers/lim.)
- Seat: left
The aircraft
- Airframe total time: 2,193 hours
- Last inspection: annual inspection, June 6, 1985; 87 hours since
- Maximum gross weight: 3,400 lb
- Seats: 6
- Landing gear: fixed
- Engine: Lycoming O-540E4B5 (piston); 0 hours total
The flight
- Departed from: PFN Panama City FL
- Destination: FPR Ft. Pierce FL
- Flight plan: VFR
- Runway 0
Weather at the time
- Light: daylight
- Wind: from 100° at 10 knots
- Visibility: 3 statute miles
- Sky: overcast at 5,000 ft; scat at 700 ft
- Temperature: 72°F (22°C), dew point 70°F (21°C)
- Altimeter: 30.00 inHg
- Observation at 5:52 pm from ORL, 19 miles away
Injuries
| Fatal | Serious | Minor | None | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Crew | 1 | |||
| Passengers | 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.