Piper PA24-180 accident near Orlando, Florida, August 11, 1986
On August 11, 1986 at about 3:27 am local time, a Piper PA24-180, registered N55UA, was substantially damaged in an accident near Orlando, 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 11, 1986 · about 3:27 am local time
- Place
- Orlando, Florida · map
- Type
- Accident
- Injuries
- No one was hurt; 2 people were on board or involved.
- Weather
- visual conditions (good weather)
- Aircraft
- Piper PA24-180 · all PA24-180s on the register
- Registration
- N55UA · no longer on the register · serial 24-667
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Personal flight · general aviation rules (Part 91)
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
PLT WAS UNABLE TO COMPLETELY EXTEND LANDING GEAR VIA ELECTRIC AND MANUAL MEANS. A LANDING WAS MADE WITH GEAR PARTIALLY EXTENDED. EXAMINATION OF THE AIRCRAFT AFTER THE ACCIDENT REVEALED THE LANDING GEAR EXTENTION MECHANISM WAS BINDING IN THE MANUAL EXTENTION MECHANISM TUNNEL BETWEEN THE TWO FRONT SEATS. PULLING ON THE LANDING GEAR ALLOWED IT TO FREE AND OPERATE NORMALLY AFTER THIS. INSPECTION OF AIRCRAFT RECORDS REVEALED THE AIRCRAFT WAS LANDED GEAR UP 125 HOURS BEFORE THIS ACCIDENT CAUSING DAMAGE TO THE BELLY AND LANDING GEAR MOTOR MOUNTING AREA. THE POINT THE GEAR MECHANISM WAS BINDING WAS DEEPLY SCARRED INDICATING IT HAD BEEN RUBBING FOR SOMETIME.
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: 900 hours in all; 740 in this make and model; 15 in the last 90 days; 810 as pilot in command
- Medical certificate: Class 2 (valid medical--w/ waivers/lim.)
- Seat: left
The aircraft
- Airframe total time: 2,229 hours
- Last inspection: annual inspection, October 1, 1985; 35 hours since
- Maximum gross weight: 2,550 lb
- Seats: 4
- Landing gear: retractable
- Engine: Lycoming O-360-A1A (piston); 0 hours total
The flight
- Departed from: TMB Miami FL
- Flight plan: none
- Runway 18R, 12,004 ft by 300 ft
Weather at the time
- Light: night, dark
- Wind: from 110° at 5 knots
- Visibility: 10 statute miles
- Sky: clear
- Temperature: 77°F (25°C), dew point 72°F (22°C)
- Altimeter: 30.00 inHg
- Observation at 3:31 am from MCO
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.
Other NTSB records under N55UA 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.