Piper PA-38-112 accident near Mcdavid, Florida, April 18, 1988
On April 18, 1988 at about 6:35 pm local time, a Piper PA-38-112, registered N2322F, was substantially damaged in an accident near Mcdavid, Florida. It was a business 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
- April 18, 1988 · about 6:35 pm local time
- Place
- Mcdavid, Florida · map
- Type
- Accident
- Injuries
- No one was hurt; 1 person was on board or involved.
- Weather
- visual conditions (good weather)
- Aircraft
- Piper PA-38-112 · all PA-38-112s on the register
- Registration
- N2322F · no longer on the register · serial 38-79A0396
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Business flight · general aviation rules (Part 91)
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
THE PLT STATED THAT THE FLT WAS 15 MILES FROM THE DESTINATION & HAD BEEN DIVERTED DUE TO HAZE. WHILE FLYING AT AN ALT OF APROX 2,000 FT, THE ENG QUIT DUE TO NON-MECHANICAL REASONS. HE WAS UNABLE TO RESTART IT. THE PLT LANDED THE A/C ON A ROAD, DURING WHICH THE RT WINGTIP COLLIDED WITH A ROAD SIGN. THE A/C THEN SPUN TO THE RT, TRAVELLED OFF THE ROAD, COLLIDED WITH TREES, & CAME TO REST. POST-CRASH INSP OF THE ACFT REVEALED THE RT FUEL TANK CONTAINED NO USABLE FUEL. THE PLT STATED THAT HE ADDED FUEL TO THE LEFT TANK AFTER THE ACCIDENT IN AN ATTEMPT TO START THE ENG. AS A RESULT THE QUANTITY OF FUEL IN IT AT THE TIME OF THE LOSS OF POWER COULD NOT BE DETERMINED. HE ALSO STATED THAT IS WAS POSSIBLE THAT THE ENG QUIT DUE TO FUEL EXHAUSTION.
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: single-engine land; instrument: airplane
- Flight time: 1,050 hours in all; 150 in this make and model; 150 in the last 90 days; 970 as pilot in command
- Medical certificate: Class 2 (valid medical--w/ waivers/lim.)
- Seat: left
The aircraft
- Airframe total time: 3,900 hours
- Last inspection: 100-hour inspection
- Maximum gross weight: 1,670 lb
- Seats: 2
- Landing gear: fixed
- Engine: Lycoming O-235-L2C (piston); 0 hours total
The flight
- Departed from: IAO Chattanooga TN at 3:00 pm
- Destination: OR1 Atmore FL
- Flight plan: VFR
- Runway 0
Weather at the time
- Light: daylight
- Wind: from 200° at 14 knots
- Visibility: 5 statute miles
- Sky: broken clouds at 1,900 ft; not recorded
- Temperature: 79°F (26°C), dew point 70°F (21°C)
- Altimeter: 29.00 inHg
- Observation at 8:49 pm from PNS, 25 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.