Piper PA-32-300 accident near Fort Myers, Florida, April 17, 1988
On April 17, 1988 at about 4:00 pm local time, a Piper PA-32-300, registered N2032M, was substantially damaged in an accident near Fort Myers, Florida (Lehigh Acres West 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).
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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 4, 2026. Docket and reports at the NTSB.
What the record shows
- Date
- April 17, 1988 · about 4:00 pm local time
- Place
- Fort Myers, Florida · Lehigh Acres West
- Type
- Accident
- Injuries
- No one was hurt; 2 people were on board or involved.
- Weather
- visual conditions (good weather)
- Aircraft
- Piper PA-32-300 · all PA-32-300s on the register
- Registration
- N2032M · registry record · serial 32 7840077
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Personal flight · general aviation rules (Part 91)
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
WHILE EN ROUTE, ON A PERSONAL CROSS COUNTRY FLT, THE ALTERNATOR BELT BROKE RESULTING IN THE LOSS OF ELECTRICAL POWER WHICH THE PLT DID NOT RECOGNIZE BEFORE THE BATTERY HAD BEEN DRAINED. DURING THE PRECAUTIONARY LANDING THE ACFT LANDED HARD RESULTING IN SUBSTANTIAL DAMAGE. HE FURTHER STATED THAT HE BECAME OVER-ANXIOUS TO LAND THE ACFT & SHOULD HAVE REALIZED THAT THE ALTERNATOR WAS NOT WORKING & THE BATTERY HAD BEEN DRAINED.
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: 4,250 hours in all; 1,220 in this make and model; 30 in the last 90 days; 10 in the last 30 days; 4,200 as pilot in command
- Medical certificate: Class 3 (expired)
- Seat: left
The aircraft
- Airframe total time: 1,286 hours
- Last inspection: annual inspection, September 29, 1987; 80 hours since
- Maximum gross weight: 3,500 lb
- Seats: 6
- Landing gear: fixed
- Engine: Lycoming IO-540-K1G5 (piston); 0 hours total
The flight
- Departed from: PIE St Petersburg FL at 2:15 pm
- Destination: FXE Fort Lauderdale FL
- Flight plan: none
- Runway 22, 3,000 ft by 200 ft
Weather at the time
- Light: daylight
- Wind: from 110° at 6 knots
- Visibility: 10 statute miles
- Sky: clear
- Temperature: 84°F (29°C), dew point 52°F (11°C)
- Altimeter: 30.00 inHg
- Observation at 4:50 pm from RSW, 7 miles away
Injuries
| Fatal | Serious | Minor | None | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Crew | 1 | |||
| Passengers | 1 |
Other NTSB records under N2032M the same tail number, which may have belonged to a different aircraft at the time
About this page
Everything above comes from the NTSB's public accident database: the narrative, probable cause and findings are the NTSB's own words, and the coded tables behind its report (pilot, aircraft, flight, weather, injuries, sequence of events) are written out in plain English. Pilots' ages, home towns and medical details are left out on purpose. The docket at the NTSB holds the report as a PDF and the investigation's photographs and documents. This site never names pilots, passengers or anyone else involved. A preliminary report describes what is known soon after the event and can change; the final report, with the probable cause, usually follows one to two years later and this page is refreshed when it does. Case number MIA88LA204.