Buhl LA-1 accident near Belleview, Florida, October 16, 1986
On October 16, 1986 at about 6:30 pm local time, a Buhl LA-1, registered N320Y, was substantially damaged in an accident near Belleview, Florida (Leeward airport). It was a personal flight under general aviation rules (Part 91). 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
- October 16, 1986 · about 6:30 pm local time
- Place
- Belleview, Florida · Leeward
- Type
- Accident
- Injuries
- No one was hurt; 1 person was on board or involved.
- Weather
- visual conditions (good weather)
- Aircraft
- Buhl LA-1 · all LA-1s on the register
- Registration
- N320Y · registry record · serial 108
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Personal flight · general aviation rules (Part 91)
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
THE PLT STATED THAT HE HAD REACHED AN ALT OF ABOUT 50 FT WHEN THE ENG QUIT. HE STATED THAT WHILE HE WAS ATTEMPTING TO DETERMINE THE CAUSE OF THE PROBLEM, HE STOPPED FLYING THE ACFT & PERMITTED A HIGH SINK RATE TO DEVELOP WHICH WAS NOT ARRESTED PRIOR TO THE ACFT HITTING THE RWY IN A HARD LANDING. THE OWNER OF THE ACFT STATED THAT THE ACFT HELD ABOUT 10 GALS OF FUEL & THAT ONLY ABOUT 2 GALS WERE IN THE ACFT AT TAKEOFF. HE STATED THE PLT PULLED THE ACFT UP VERY STEEPLY AFTER TAKEOFF WHICH RESULTED IN FUEL STARVATION DUE TO FUEL 'UNPORTING'.
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; single-engine sea
- Flight time: 1,816 hours in all; 21 in this make and model; 33 in the last 90 days; 15 in the last 30 days; 1,689 as pilot in command
- Medical certificate: Class 2 (valid medical--w/ waivers/lim.)
- Seat: frt
The aircraft
- Airframe total time: 996 hours
- Last inspection: annual inspection, November 1, 1985; 24 hours since
- Maximum gross weight: 842 lb
- Seats: 1
- Landing gear: fixed
- Engine: Continental A-65-8 (piston); 0 hours total
The flight
- Flight plan: none
- Runway 36, 6,200 ft by 150 ft
Weather at the time
- Light: daylight
- Wind: from 360° at 6 knots
- Visibility: 10 statute miles
- Sky: scat at 25,000 ft
- Temperature: 72°F (22°C), dew point 46°F (8°C)
- Altimeter: 29.00 inHg
- Observation at 6:50 pm from GNV, 50 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.