Piper PA-28-161 accident near Molino, Florida, November 27, 1988
On November 27, 1988 at about 6:14 pm local time, a Piper PA-28-161, registered N8033Y, was destroyed in an accident near Molino, Florida. It was a personal flight under general aviation rules (Part 91). 4 people were killed. The weather was instrument conditions (cloud, fog or low visibility).
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
- November 27, 1988 · about 6:14 pm local time
- Place
- Molino, Florida · map
- Type
- Accident
- Injuries
- 4 people were killed.
- Weather
- instrument conditions (cloud, fog or low visibility)
- Aircraft
- Piper PA-28-161 · all PA-28-161s on the register
- Registration
- N8033Y · no longer on the register · serial 28-8216083
- Damage
- Destroyed
- Flight
- Personal flight · general aviation rules (Part 91)
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
BEFORE TAKEOFF, THE PLT WAS ADZD OF AN APCHG COLD FRONT IN THE FLORIDA PANHANDLE AS WELL AS A FORECAST OF HVY THUNDER- STORM ACTIVITY IN THE AREA OF PENSACOLA. EN ROUTE, HE WAS PROVIDED VFR FLT FOLLOWING FROM PENSACOLA APCH CTL WHILE CRUISING AT 6500 FT. OTHER FLTS THAT WERE OPERATING IN THE AREA AT LOWER ALTITUDE WERE DEVIATING AROUND WX TO REMAIN IN VFR CONDS. AT ABOUT 1214 CST, THE ACFT ENTERED A RAPID DSCNT. SUBSEQUENTLY, AN INFLT BREAKUP OF THE ACFT OCCURRED & WRECKAGE WAS SCATTERED OVER A 1735 FT AREA. WITNESSES RPRTD THAT JUST BEFORE IMPACT, THEY HEARD THE ENG ROARING IN THE CLOUDS. THEY RPRTD THE ACFT CAME OUT OF A CLOUD BASE & SHED ITS WINGS & TAIL BEFORE CRASHING. THEY ALSO RPRTD LOW CLOUDSIN THE VICINITY WITH GUSTY SURFACE WINDS & RAIN. AN EXAM REVEALED THE WINGS & TAIL SURFACES HAD SEPD IN OVERLOAD. NO PRE-ACDNT FAILURE, MALFUNCTION OR FATIGUE OF THE ACFT WAS FND. THE ACFT WAS ESTD TO BE 254 LBS OVER ITS MAX GROSS WT LIMIT & THE CG WAS ESTD TO BE .1 INCH BEHIND THE AFT LIMIT. THE PLT'S MED CERT WAS DATED 10/16/86.
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: single-engine land
- Flight time: 175 hours in all; 175 in this make and model
- Medical certificate: Class 3 (expired)
- Seat: left
The aircraft
- Airframe total time: 3,600 hours
- Last inspection: 100-hour inspection, March 25, 1988; 4 hours since
- Maximum gross weight: 2,325 lb
- Seats: 4
- Landing gear: fixed
- Engine: Lycoming O-320-E3D (piston); 0 hours total
The flight
- Departed from: TPF Tampa FL
- Destination: MOB Mobile AL
- Flight plan: none
- Runway 0
Weather at the time
- Light: daylight
- Sky: not recorded; not recorded
- Temperature: 79°F (26°C), dew point 72°F (22°C)
- Altimeter: 29.00 inHg
- Observation at 6:54 pm from PNS, 19 miles away
Injuries
| Fatal | Serious | Minor | None | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Crew | 1 | |||
| Passengers | 3 |
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.