Piper PA-34-200T accident near St.Petersburg, Florida, November 7, 1985
On November 7, 1985 at about 9:23 pm local time, a Piper PA-34-200T, registered N11RJ, was substantially damaged in an accident near St.Petersburg, Florida (Albert Whitted airport). It was a personal flight under general aviation rules (Part 91). No one was hurt; 6 people were 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
- November 7, 1985 · about 9:23 pm local time
- Place
- St.Petersburg, Florida · Albert Whitted · map
- Type
- Accident
- Injuries
- No one was hurt; 6 people were on board or involved.
- Weather
- visual conditions (good weather)
- Aircraft
- Piper PA-34-200T · all PA-34-200Ts on the register
- Registration
- N11RJ · no longer on the register · serial 34-7970002
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Personal flight · general aviation rules (Part 91)
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
THE PILOT LOADED THE AC WITH 100 POUNDS OF FUEL,HIMSELF AND 5 PASSENGERS AND DEPARTED FOR A SHORT LOCAL FLIGHT. THE AC WAS LANDED 15 MINUTES LATER 382 POUNDS OVER MAX GROSS WEIGHT, AND LANDED LONG ON A 2800 FT RUNWAY, IN A CROSSWIND. THE AC THEN SKIDDED LEFT OFF THE RUNWAY NEAR THE END, AS THE RIGHT MAIN LANDING GEAR FAILED.
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; instrument: airplane
- Flight time: 1,179 hours in all; 624 in this make and model; 93 in the last 90 days; 964 as pilot in command
- Medical certificate: Class 3 (valid medical--w/ waivers/lim.)
- Seat: left
The aircraft
- Airframe total time: 1,433 hours
- Last inspection: annual inspection, August 9, 1985; 0 hours since
- Maximum gross weight: 4,570 lb
- Seats: 6
- Landing gear: retractable
- Engine: Continental TSIO-360-EB1A (piston); 0 hours total
The flight
- Departed from: CLW Clearwater FL at 9:15 pm
- Destination: SPG St.Petersburg FL
- Flight plan: none
- Runway 18, 2,800 ft by 150 ft
Weather at the time
- Light: daylight
- Wind: from 290° at 5 knots
- Visibility: 15 statute miles
- Sky: clear
- Temperature: 75°F (24°C), dew point 63°F (17°C)
- Altimeter: 30.00 inHg
- Observation at 9:25 pm from SPG
Injuries
| Fatal | Serious | Minor | None | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Crew | 1 | |||
| Passengers | 5 |
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 N11RJ 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.