Piper PA-44-180 accident near Sanford, Florida, July 25, 1988
On July 25, 1988 at about 7:15 pm local time, a Piper PA-44-180, registered N2197K, was substantially damaged in an accident near Sanford, Florida (Sanford airport). It was an instructional 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).
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 7:15 pm local time
- Place
- Sanford, Florida · Sanford · map
- Type
- Accident
- Injuries
- No one was hurt; 2 people were on board or involved.
- Weather
- visual conditions (good weather)
- Aircraft
- Piper PA-44-180 · all PA-44-180s on the register
- Registration
- N2197K · no longer on the register · serial 44 7995206
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Instructional flight · general aviation rules (Part 91)
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
THE CFI STATED THEY HAD COMPLETED 2 TOUCH & GO LDGS WITHOUT INCIDENT. ON THE NEXT, THE ACFT 'SUDDENLY YAWED TO THE LEFT & THE SIDE LOAD MUST HAVE WEAKENED THE GEAR AS THE GEAR WARNING HORN BEGAN TO SOUND INDICATING THE GEAR WAS NO LONGER DOWN & LOCKED'. HE STATED HE TOOK CONTROL FROM THE MULTI-ENG STUDENT PLT & ATTEMPTED TO SLOW & REGAIN CONTROL OF THE ACFT. THE LEFT GEAR COLLAPSED, YAWING THE NOSE LEFT, THEN RIGHT, COLLAPSING THE RIGHT GEAR. THE ACFT LEFT THE RWY & HIT A RWY LIGHT COMING TO REST OFF THE RWY. THE CFI STATED JUST PRIOR TO THE ACCIDENT, HE HEARD A REPORT OF WINDSHEAR FROM AN ACFT TO THE NORTH. HE STATED THE ACFT HAD PERFORMED NORMALLY PRIOR TO THE ACCIDENT. A TOWER SUPVR STATED THE ACFT TOUCHED DOWN ABOUT 1500 FT DOWN THE RWY, TRAVELING ABOUT 1/2 WAY DOWN IT BEFORE LEAVING THE RWY. HE STATED HE DID NOT OBSERVE ANY OTHER ACFT HAVING ANY PROBLEM ON THE RWY OR TRAFFIC PATTERN & THERE WERE NO REPORTS OF WINDSHEAR DURING THAT PERIOD.
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: flight instructor, commercial pilot
- Ratings: multi-engine land; single-engine land; instructor: airplane multi-engine; instructor: airplane single-engine; instructor: instrument airplane; instrument: airplane
- Flight time: 1,347 hours in all; 249 in this make and model; 152 in the last 90 days; 47 in the last 30 days; 1,270 as pilot in command; 626 on instruments
- Medical certificate: Class 1 (valid medical--no waivers/lim.)
- Seat: rgt
The aircraft
- Airframe total time: 1,665 hours
- Last inspection: annual inspection, July 18, 1988; 13 hours since
- Maximum gross weight: 3,800 lb
- Seats: 4
- Landing gear: retractable
- Engine: Lycoming O-360 (piston); 0 hours total
- Operator: Professional Aero Services
The flight
- Departed from: ORL Orlando FL at 6:45 pm
- Destination: SFB Sanford FL
- Flight plan: none
- Runway 9, 8,000 ft by 150 ft
Weather at the time
- Light: daylight
- Wind: from 150° at 5 knots
- Visibility: 10 statute miles
- Sky: overcast at 25,000 ft; scat at 3,500 ft
- Temperature: 91°F (33°C), dew point 73°F (23°C)
- Altimeter: 30.00 inHg
- Observation at 2:47 pm from SFB
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.