Piper PA-44-180 accident near Clearwater, Florida, November 11, 1988
On November 11, 1988 at about 9:40 pm local time, a Piper PA-44-180, registered N81609, was substantially damaged in an accident near Clearwater, Florida (St Petersburg-Clearwater 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
- November 11, 1988 · about 9:40 pm local time
- Place
- Clearwater, Florida · St Petersburg-Clearwater
- 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
- N81609 · no longer on the register · serial 44-8095022
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Instructional flight · general aviation rules (Part 91)
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
AS THE STUDENT PLT WAS MAKING A SIMULATED SINGLE ENG APCH, THE INSTRUCTOR'S ATTENTION WAS MOMENTARILY DIVERTED INSIDE THE COCKPIT. WHEN THE INSTRUCTOR LOOKED OUTSIDE AGAIN, THE ACFT WAS LOW & SLOW ON A SHORT FINAL APCH. THE CFI APPLIED POWER TO ARREST THE DESCENT, BUT THE MAIN GEAR COLLAPSED WHEN THE ACFT TOUCHED DOWN SHORT OF THE RWY & CONTACTED THE RWY LIP. THERE WAS NO FAILURE OR MALFUNCTION OF THE ENGINES OR FLT CONTROLS.
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: 1,300 hours in all; 100 in this make and model; 220 in the last 90 days; 75 in the last 30 days; 1,200 as pilot in command; 700 on instruments
- Medical certificate: Class 1 (valid medical--w/ waivers/lim.)
- Seat: rgt
The aircraft
- Last inspection: annual inspection
- Maximum gross weight: 3,800 lb
- Seats: 4
- Landing gear: retractable
- Engine: Lycoming O-360 (piston); 0 hours total
- Operator: Bay Air Flying Service
The flight
- Flight plan: none
- Runway 4, 5,500 ft by 150 ft
- A second pilot was aboard
Weather at the time
- Light: daylight
- Wind: from 350° at 10 knots
- Visibility: 12 statute miles
- Sky: clear
- Temperature: 79°F (26°C), dew point 64°F (18°C)
- Altimeter: 30.00 inHg
- Observation at 9:50 pm from PIE
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.