Piper PA-60-700P accident near Cocoa Beach, Florida, July 25, 1988
On July 25, 1988 at about 9:29 pm local time, a Piper PA-60-700P, registered N69RB, was destroyed in an accident near Cocoa Beach, Florida. It was a business flight under general aviation rules (Part 91). 1 person was 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 25, 1988 · about 9:29 pm local time
- Place
- Cocoa Beach, Florida · map
- Type
- Accident
- Injuries
- 1 person was killed.
- Weather
- visual conditions (good weather)
- Aircraft
- Piper PA-60-700P · all PA-60-700Ps on the register
- Registration
- N69RB · no longer on the register · serial 60-8423019
- Damage
- Destroyed
- Flight
- Business flight · general aviation rules (Part 91)
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
FLT ENTERED NEAR VERTICAL DESCENT WHILE FLYING IN AREA OF LEVEL 1 AND 2 THUNDERSTORMS JUST AFTER PLT HAD CALLED REQUESTING PERMISSION TO DEVIATE AROUND RAIN SHOWERS. A LEVEL 5 THUNDERSTORM WAS PRESENT 8 MILES WEST. THE ACFT DESCENDED AT RATES UP TO 13,800 FEET PER MINUTE. WITNESSES SAW ACFT EXIT BOTTOM OF CLOUDS AT APPROX 4,000 FEET IN A NEAR FLAT ATTITUDE AND ROTATING AROUND THE YAW AXIS TO THE LEFT. ENGINE SOUNDS INCREASED AND DECREASED AS THE ACFT ROTATED AND ALL COMPONENTS APPEARED TO BE PRESENT ON THE ACFT. NO SMOKE OR FLAME WAS VISIBLE. AT APPROX 500 FEET ABOVE THE WATER THE ROTATION STOPPED AND THE NOSE DROPPED TO A 30 TO 70 DEGREE NOSE DOWN ANGLE AND BOTH ENGINES COULD BE HEARD INCREASING IN POWER. BEFORE THE RECOVERY COULD BE COMPLETED THE ACFT STRUCK THE OCEAN.
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; instrument: airplane
- Flight time: 2,150 hours in all; 200 in this make and model; 25 in the last 90 days
- Medical certificate: Class 3 (valid medical--no waivers/lim.)
- Seat: left
The aircraft
- Airframe total time: 506 hours
- Last inspection: annual inspection, May 13, 1988; 19 hours since
- Maximum gross weight: 6,315 lb
- Seats: 6
- Landing gear: retractable
- Engine: Lycoming TIO-540-U2A (piston); 0 hours total
The flight
- Departed from: SUA Stuart FL at 9:03 pm
- Destination: DCA Washington DC
- Flight plan: IFR
- Runway 0
Weather at the time
- Light: daylight
- Visibility: 6 statute miles
- Sky: broken clouds at 10,000 ft; scat at 800 ft
- Temperature: 81°F (27°C), dew point 75°F (24°C)
- Altimeter: 30.00 inHg
- Observation at 9:29 pm from COF, 1 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.