Piper PA-28R-200 accident near Inverness, Florida, February 25, 1989
On February 25, 1989 at about 2:32 am local time, a Piper PA-28R-200, registered N43330, was destroyed in an accident near Inverness, Florida. It was an instructional flight under general aviation rules (Part 91). 2 people were seriously injured. The weather was visual conditions (good weather).
The NTSB's probable cause their words, unchanged
THE FAILURE OF THE PROPELLER GOVERNOR OIL LINE DUE TO FATIGUE WHICH WAS CAUSED BY BENDING DAMAGE TO THE LINE AND THE FAILURE OF MECHANICS TO INSTALL SUPPORT CLAMPS ON THE LINE WHICH CAUSED THE FATIGUE TO PROPAGATE AT A FASTER RATE.
Source: NTSB aviation accident database, copy made October 5, 2026. Docket and reports at the NTSB.
What the record shows
- Date
- February 25, 1989 · about 2:32 am local time
- Place
- Inverness, Florida
- Type
- Accident
- Injuries
- 2 people were seriously injured.
- Weather
- visual conditions (good weather)
- Aircraft
- Piper PA-28R-200 · all PA-28R-200s on the register
- Registration
- N43330 · no longer on the register · serial 28R-7435262
- Damage
- Destroyed
- Flight
- Instructional flight · general aviation rules (Part 91)
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
DURING CRUISE FLT A TOTAL LOSS OF ENGINE POWER WAS EXPERIENCED. THE PLT WAS ATTEMPTING A FORCED LANDING WHEN THE ACFT CONTACTED ELECTRICAL WIRES AND A TREE PRIOR TO COLLIDING WITH THE TERRAIN. POST ACCIDENT INSPECTION REVEALED THE PROPELLER GOVERNOR OIL LINE CRACKED TO THE POINT THAT ENGINE OIL PUMPED OUT OF THE ENGINE WHICH SUBSEQUENTLY SEIZED. THE OIL LINE WAS INSTALLED AFTER ENGINE OVERHAUL WITHOUT TWO CLAMPS AND WAS BENT IN THE AREA WHERE THE ALTERNATOR BELT IS ADJUSTED. THE BENDING DAMAGE CAUSED A FATIGUE CRACK IN THE LINE AND THE LACK OF SUPPORT CLAMPS AIDED IN THE CRACKING PROCESS.
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 single-engine; instrument: airplane
- Flight time: 650 hours in all; 25 in this make and model; 260 in the last 90 days; 80 in the last 30 days; 515 as pilot in command; 250 on instruments
- Medical certificate: Class 2 (valid medical--w/ waivers/lim.)
- Seat: rgt
The aircraft
- Airframe total time: 4,351 hours
- Last inspection: 100-hour inspection, February 19, 1989; 10 hours since
- Maximum gross weight: 2,650 lb
- Seats: 4
- Landing gear: retractable
- Engine: Lycoming IO-360-C1C (piston); 0 hours total
- Operator: Eagle Flight Center, INC.
The flight
- Departed from: X31 Crystal River FL at 2:25 am
- Destination: DAB Daytona Beach FL
- Flight plan: none
- Runway 0
- A second pilot was aboard
Weather at the time
- Light: night, dark
- Visibility: 10 statute miles
- Sky: clear
- Temperature: 30°F (-1°C), dew point 19°F (-7°C)
- Altimeter: 30.00 inHg
- Observation at 2:50 am from GNV, 50 miles away
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.