Piper PA-28-161 accident near Sanford, Florida, September 23, 1986
On September 23, 1986 at about 12:07 pm local time, a Piper PA-28-161, registered N8200Z, was substantially damaged in an accident near Sanford, Florida (Sanford airport). 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
- September 23, 1986 · about 12:07 pm local time
- Place
- Sanford, Florida · Sanford · map
- Type
- Accident
- Injuries
- No one was hurt; 2 people were on board or involved.
- Weather
- visual conditions (good weather)
- Aircraft
- Piper PA-28-161 · all PA-28-161s on the register
- Registration
- N8200Z · registry record · serial 28-8016320
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Personal flight · general aviation rules (Part 91)
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
WHILE ON APPROACH TO RUNWAY THE PILOTS VISION WAS RESTRICTED BY THE GLARE FROM THE RISING SUN. THE PILOT FAILED TO SEE THE OPERATING APPROACH LIGHT SYSTEM WHICH IS LOCATED IN THE CLOSED FIRST 2000 FEET OF RUNWAY, AND COLLIDED WITH THE APPROACH LIGHT SYSTEM. CONTROL OF THE AIRCRAFT WAS MAINTAINED AND A NORMAL LANDING WAS MADE.
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: 831 hours in all; 577 in this make and model; 14 in the last 90 days; 768 as pilot in command
- Medical certificate: Class 3 (valid medical--w/ waivers/lim.)
- Seat: left
The aircraft
- Airframe total time: 4,012 hours
- Last inspection: 100-hour inspection, February 7, 1986; 39 hours since
- Maximum gross weight: 2,325 lb
- Seats: 4
- Landing gear: fixed
- Engine: Lycoming O-320-D3G (piston); 0 hours total
The flight
- Departed from: COF Patrick Afb FL at 11:25 am
- Flight plan: VFR
- Runway 9, 8,000 ft by 150 ft
Weather at the time
- Light: daylight
- Visibility: 3 statute miles
- Sky: clear
- Temperature: 70°F (21°C), dew point 70°F (21°C)
- Altimeter: 30.00 inHg
- Observation at 11:50 am from SFB
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.