Piper PA-25-235 accident near Ocala, Florida, April 16, 1986
On April 16, 1986 at about 11:00 am local time, a Piper PA-25-235, registered N9592P, was substantially damaged in an accident near Ocala, Florida (None airport). It was an aerial application (crop spraying) flight under agricultural flying rules (Part 137). No one was hurt; 1 person was 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
- April 16, 1986 · about 11:00 am local time
- Place
- Ocala, Florida · None · map
- Type
- Accident
- Injuries
- No one was hurt; 1 person was on board or involved.
- Weather
- visual conditions (good weather)
- Aircraft
- Piper PA-25-235 · all PA-25-235s on the register
- Registration
- N9592P · no longer on the register · serial 25-7405728
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Aerial application (crop spraying) flight · agricultural flying rules (Part 137)
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
PURPOSE OF THE FLIGHT WAS TO CALIBRATE THE SPRAY EQUIPMENT. THE PLT LOADED THE HOPPER WITH ABOUT 70 GALLONS OF WATER AND INITIATED A TAKEOFF. AT ABOUT 100 FT AGL ON INITIAL CLIMB THE COCKPIT FILLED WITH SMOKE AND THE ENG FAILED. THE ACFT STRUCK A TREE ON DESCENT AND WAS SUBSTANTIALLY DAMAGED. POST ACCIDENT EXAMINATION REVEALED THAT THE MAGNETO WIRES ON BOTH MAGNETOS WERE GROUNDING AND THE INSULATION ON THE WIRES WAS BURNED. THE ACFT HAD AN ANNUAL INSPECTION 5 FLIGHTS AND 2 WEEKS PRIOR TO THE ACCIDENT.
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; instructor: airplane single-engine; instrument: airplane; rotorcraft: glider
- Flight time: 18,359 hours in all; 700 in this make and model
- Medical certificate: Class 2 (valid medical--w/ waivers/lim.)
- Seat: ctr
The aircraft
- Airframe total time: 3,004 hours
- Last inspection: annual inspection, April 1, 1986; 5 hours since
- Maximum gross weight: 2,900 lb
- Seats: 1
- Landing gear: fixed
- Engine: Lycoming O-540-B2C5 (piston); 0 hours total
- Fire in flight and on the ground
The flight
- Departed from: Ocala FL at 11:00 am
- Flight plan: none
- Runway 8, 2,000 ft by 11 ft
Weather at the time
- Light: dawn
- Wind: from 290° at 4 knots
- Visibility: 7 statute miles
- Sky: scat at 25,000 ft
- Temperature: 59°F (15°C), dew point 55°F (13°C)
- Altimeter: 29.00 inHg
- Observation at 10:48 am from GNV, 37 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.