Piper PA-23-160 accident near Avon Park, Florida, July 30, 1988
On July 30, 1988 at about 3:25 pm local time, a Piper PA-23-160, registered N3464P, was destroyed in an accident near Avon Park, Florida (Avon Park airport). It was an instructional flight under general aviation rules (Part 91). 2 people were killed. 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
- July 30, 1988 · about 3:25 pm local time
- Place
- Avon Park, Florida · Avon Park · map
- Type
- Accident
- Injuries
- 2 people were killed.
- Weather
- visual conditions (good weather)
- Aircraft
- Piper PA-23-160 · all PA-23-160s on the register
- Registration
- N3464P · no longer on the register · serial 23-1438
- Damage
- Destroyed
- Flight
- Instructional flight · general aviation rules (Part 91)
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
THE CFI RADIOED THAT HE WOULD BE CONDUCTING A SIMULATED ENGINE-OUT APRCH. 2 PLT WITNESSES, 1 OF WHOM WAS A CFI, STATED THAT ACFT WAS SEEN ON FINAL APRCH AT ABOUT 200 FT WITH THE LEFT PROP FEATHERED & THE GEAR & FLAPS DOWN. THEY STATED THAT ALTHOUGH THE ACFT WAS IN A PROPER POSITION TO SAFELY LAND, A SINGLE ENGINE GO-AROUND WAS ATTEMPTED. FULL POWER WAS APPLIED WHICH RESPONDED NORMALLY, BUT THE GEAR & FLAPS REMAINED EXTENDED FOR THE REMAINER OF THE FLT. RWY HDG WAS MAINTAINED BUT THE ACFT BEGAN SINKING & LOSING AIRSPEED. APPROX 1/4 MI FROM THE DEPARTURE END OF THE RWY & ABOUT 150 FT AGL, THE NOSE ROSE & THE ACFT ROLLED LEFT & ENTERED A SPIN OF ABOUT 1/2 TURN WITH THE NOSE DOWN ABOUT 60 DEGREES. AN ABRUPT POWER REDUCTION WAS HEARD & THE SPIN STOPPED, BUT THE ACFT STRUCK THE GROUND BEFORE RECOVERY COULD BE EFFECTED. AN EXAM OF THE ACFT & ENGS REVEALED NO EVIDENCE OF ANY PRE-IMPACT MALFUNCTION OR FAILURE.
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: airline transport pilot, flight instructor
- Ratings: multi-engine land; single-engine land; single-engine sea; instructor: airplane multi-engine; instructor: airplane single-engine; instructor: glider; instructor: instrument airplane; instrument: airplane; rotorcraft: glider
- Flight time: 21,560 hours in all
- Medical certificate: Class 1 (valid medical--w/ waivers/lim.)
- Seat: unk
The aircraft
- Last inspection: inspection type not recorded
- Maximum gross weight: 3,800 lb
- Seats: 4
- Landing gear: retractable
- Engine: Lycoming O-320 (piston); 0 hours total
- Fire on the ground
The flight
- Departed from: FXE Fort Lauderdale FL at 12:30 pm
- Flight plan: none
- Runway 9, 3,800 ft by 75 ft
- A second pilot was aboard
Weather at the time
- Light: daylight
- Wind: from 100° at 5 knots
- Visibility: 12 statute miles
- Sky: broken clouds at 25,000 ft; scat at 2,000 ft
- Temperature: 86°F (30°C), dew point 73°F (23°C)
- Altimeter: 30.00 inHg
Injuries
| Fatal | Serious | Minor | None | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Crew | 2 |
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.