North American T-28A accident near Lantana, Florida, November 23, 1985
On November 23, 1985 at about 2:28 pm local time, a North American T-28A, registered N9867C, was destroyed in an accident near Lantana, Florida (Palm Beach County airport). It was a flight of an unrecorded kind 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
- November 23, 1985 · about 2:28 pm local time
- Place
- Lantana, Florida · Palm Beach County · map
- Type
- Accident
- Injuries
- 1 person was killed.
- Weather
- visual conditions (good weather)
- Aircraft
- North American T-28A · all T-28As on the register
- Registration
- N9867C · no longer on the register · serial 49-1669
- Damage
- Destroyed
- Flight
- Flight of an unrecorded kind · general aviation rules (Part 91)
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
THE PILOT/MECHANIC HAD RECENTLY RE-INSTALLED A REBUILT ENGINE IN THE AIRCRAFT AND PERFORMED A VERY SHORT RUN-UP PRIOR TO TAKEOFF. WITNESSES STATED THE AIRCRAFT ENGINE MADE POPPING NOISES AND WAS BELCHING BLACK SMOKE DURING THE TAKEOFF ROLL. THE AIRCRAFT BECAME AIRBORNE AND MUSHED AROUND A LEFT 180 DEGREE TURN BEFORE CRASHING IN A SWAMPY AREA AT THE AIRPORT EDGE. EXAMINATION OF THE IGNITION HARNESS AND SPARK PLUGS REVEALED THAT A 7 MM HARNESS WAS INSTALLED UTILIZING 5 MM SPARKPLUG CONNECTORS. SIX SPARKPLUGS EXHIBITED EVIDENCE OF FLASHOVER IN THE SPARKPLUG CONNECTOR WELLS. THIS CAUSED A PARTIAL POWER LOSS OF THE TOTAL REQUIRED POWER AVAILABLE AND NECESSARY FOR FLIGHT.
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: 387 as pilot in command
- Medical certificate: Class 2 (valid medical--w/ waivers/lim.)
- Seat: ctr
The aircraft
- Airframe total time: 2,200 hours
- Last inspection: annual inspection, October 1, 1984; 4 hours since
- Maximum gross weight: 6,871 lb
- Seats: 2
- Landing gear: retractable
- Engine: Wright R-1300-1B (piston); 0 hours total
The flight
- Departed from: LNA Lantana FL
- Flight plan: none
- Runway 22, 3,485 ft by 150 ft
Weather at the time
- Light: daylight
- Wind: from 360° at 9 knots
- Visibility: 7 statute miles
- Sky: scat at 30,000 ft
- Temperature: 0°F (-18°C), dew point 0°F (-18°C)
- Altimeter: 30.00 inHg
- Observation at 2:50 pm from PBI, 5 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.