Piper PA-32-300 accident near St. Cloud, Florida, February 26, 1986
On February 26, 1986 at about 4:00 am local time, a Piper PA-32-300, registered N4081R, was destroyed in an accident near St. Cloud, Florida. It was a positioning 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
- February 26, 1986 · about 4:00 am local time
- Place
- St. Cloud, Florida
- Type
- Accident
- Injuries
- 1 person was killed.
- Weather
- visual conditions (good weather)
- Aircraft
- Piper PA-32-300 · all PA-32-300s on the register
- Registration
- N4081R · no longer on the register · serial 32-40396
- Damage
- Destroyed
- Flight
- Positioning flight · general aviation rules (Part 91)
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
THE ACFT WAS ON A VFR FLT, THE WX WAS CLEAR WITH AN ALMOST FULL MOON WHEN THE ACFT CRASHED IN A FLD. THERE WAS NO EVIDENCE OF AN AIRFRAME, FLT CONTROL SYSTEM, ENG OR PROPELLER MALFUNCTION OR FAILURE. THE AUTOPSY & TOXICOLOGICAL STUDIES REVEALED NO PRE IMPACT CONDITION OR ILLNESS THAT COULD HAVE ADVERSELY AFFECTED THE ABILITY OF THE PLT TO OPERATE THE ACFT. THE EVIDENCE INDICATED THAT THE ACFT CRASHED IN A SHALLOW FLIGHT PATH AT HIGH SPEED. THE PLT WORKED FOR A CONSTRUCTION COMPANY DURING THE DAY & IN AIR TAXI OPERATIONS AT NIGHT.
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: commercial pilot
- Ratings: multi-engine land; single-engine land; instrument: airplane
- Flight time: 1,500 hours in all; 500 in this make and model; 203 in the last 90 days; 48 in the last 30 days; 1,380 as pilot in command
- Medical certificate: Class 2 (valid medical--no waivers/lim.)
- Seat: left
The aircraft
- Airframe total time: 3,480 hours
- Last inspection: approved inspection programme, February 19, 1986; 20 hours since
- Maximum gross weight: 3,400 lb
- Seats: 2
- Landing gear: fixed
- Engine: Lycoming IO-540-K1A5 (piston); 0 hours total
- Operator: Cherokee Leasing,Inc.
The flight
- Departed from: FLL Ft.Lauderdale FL at 2:43 am
- Destination: ORL Orlando FL
- Flight plan: none
- Runway 0
Weather at the time
- Light: night, bright
- Wind: from 330° at 4 knots
- Visibility: 7 statute miles
- Sky: clear
- Temperature: 48°F (9°C), dew point 34°F (1°C)
- Altimeter: 30.00 inHg
- Observation at 3:52 am from MCO, 17 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.