Piper PA-28-180 accident near Zellwood, Florida, August 3, 1986
On August 3, 1986 at about 11:10 pm local time, a Piper PA-28-180, registered N9716J, was substantially damaged in an accident near Zellwood, Florida. It was a personal flight under general aviation rules (Part 91). No one was hurt; 2 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
- August 3, 1986 · about 11:10 pm local time
- Place
- Zellwood, Florida · map
- Type
- Accident
- Injuries
- No one was hurt; 2 people were on board or involved.
- Weather
- visual conditions (good weather)
- Aircraft
- Piper PA-28-180 · all PA-28-180s on the register
- Registration
- N9716J · no longer on the register · serial 28-3907
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Personal flight · general aviation rules (Part 91)
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
THE FLT SUSTAINED ENG FAILURE IMMEDIATELY AFTER LIFT-OFF & COLLIDED WITH A TREE NEAR THE END OF THE RWY. THE PLT STATED THAT THE TAKE-OFF ROLL HAD BEEN 'SLUGGISH'. HE SAID THAT IT WAS HIS PRACTICE TO KEEP HIS ACFT OUTDOORS & TO ONLY FUEL THE TANKS TO ABOUT 1/2 CAPACITY SO AS TO AVOID THE WEIGHT PENALTY. HE LAST FLEW THE ACFT ABOUT 1 WEEK PRIOR TO THE ACCIDENT FOR ABOUT 1/2 HR & HE DID NOT REFUEL AFTER THE LAST FLT. DURING PREFLT INSPECTION HE STATED THAT HE DRAINED A QUANTITY OF WATER FROM THE FUEL SYSTEM. HE SAID THERE HAD BEEN A LOT OF RAIN IN THE AREA RECENTLY. HE STATED THAT HE HAD DRAINED WATER FROM THE FUEL SYSTEM ON OTHER OCCASIONS DURING HIS PREFLT INSPECTIONS. AFTER THE ACCIDENT, AN EXAM OF THE GASCOLATOR REVEALED THE PRESENCE OF A CONSIDERABLE QUANTITY OF WATER.
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: 600 hours in all; 600 in this make and model; 20 in the last 90 days; 8 in the last 30 days
- Medical certificate: Class 3 (valid medical--no waivers/lim.)
- Seat: left
The aircraft
- Airframe total time: 3,012 hours
- Last inspection: annual inspection, April 1, 1986
- Maximum gross weight: 2,175 lb
- Seats: 4
- Landing gear: fixed
- Engine: Lycoming O-360-A4A (piston); 0 hours total
The flight
- Departed from: XO4 at 11:10 pm
- Flight plan: none
- Runway 0
Weather at the time
- Light: daylight
- Wind: from 150° at 7 knots
- Visibility: 7 statute miles
- Sky: broken clouds at 10,000 ft; scat at 4,500 ft
- Temperature: 77°F (25°C), dew point 72°F (22°C)
- Altimeter: 30.00 inHg
- Observation at 10:50 pm from ORL, 30 miles away
Injuries
| Fatal | Serious | Minor | None | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Crew | 1 | |||
| Passengers | 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.