Piper PA-30 accident near Jupiter, Florida, February 25, 1988
On February 25, 1988 at about 3:30 am local time, a Piper PA-30, registered N7377Y, was substantially damaged in an accident near Jupiter, Florida (Tailwinds 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
- February 25, 1988 · about 3:30 am local time
- Place
- Jupiter, Florida · Tailwinds · map
- Type
- Accident
- Injuries
- No one was hurt; 1 person was on board or involved.
- Weather
- visual conditions (good weather)
- Aircraft
- Piper PA-30 · all PA-30s on the register
- Registration
- N7377Y · no longer on the register · serial 30-431
- 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 COMPLETED A LDG AWAY FROM HIS HOME BASE WITHOUT THE GEAR DOWN & LOCKED LIGHTS BEING ILLUMINATED. HE STATED THAT HE HAD ASSUMED THE LIGHTS WERE 'BURNED OUT'. UPON DEPARTURE, HE RETRACTED THE GEAR & FLEW TO HIS HOME AIRPORT. UPON ARRIVAL, HE AGAIN FAILED TO GET ANY GEAR DOWN & LOCKED LIGHT BUT CONTINUED HIS LDG APRCH. THE GEAR COLLAPSED ON TOUCH DOWN & THE ACFT SLID TO A STOP ON ITS BELLY. THE PLT STATED THAT THE LDG GEAR DRIVE MOTOR HAD BEEN BLOWING FUSES WHEN HE ATTEMPTED TO LOWER THE GEAR, BUT IT NEVER OCCURRED TO HIM TO EXTEND THE GEAR BY THE EMERG SYSTEM. THE ACFT WAS LATER RAISED FROM THE RWY & THE GEAR WAS EXTENDED BY THE EMERGENCY SYSTEM. AN EXAM OF THE GEAR MOTOR REVEALED THAT IT HAD BURNED OUT. THE ACFT WAS MANUFG IN 1964 & HAD FLOWN 2376 HRS SINCE THAT TIME. THE LDG MOTOR WAS AN ORIGINAL COMPONENT & HAD NEVER BEEN OVERHAULED. THE PLT STATED THAT IT WAS DUE TO HIS OVERSIGHT THAT HE FAILED TO EXTEND THE GEAR BY THE EMERGENCY SYSTEM.
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: multi-engine land; single-engine land
- Flight time: 248 hours in all; 48 in this make and model; 10 in the last 90 days; 180 as pilot in command
- Medical certificate: Class 3 (valid medical--w/ waivers/lim.)
- Seat: left
The aircraft
- Airframe total time: 2,376 hours
- Last inspection: annual inspection, June 7, 1987; 6 hours since
- Maximum gross weight: 3,600 lb
- Seats: 4
- Landing gear: retractable
- Engine: Lycoming IO-360-B1A (piston); 0 hours total
The flight
- Departed from: MCO Orlando FL
- Destination: FD15 Jupiter FL
- Flight plan: none
- Runway 9, 2,700 ft
Weather at the time
- Light: night, dark
- Wind: from 320° at 5 knots
- Visibility: 10 statute miles
- Sky: clear
- Temperature: 64°F (18°C), dew point 59°F (15°C)
- Altimeter: 30.00 inHg
- Observation at 10:50 pm from PBI, 22 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.