Piper PA-60-601P accident near Fort Pierce, Florida, November 27, 1988
On November 27, 1988 at about 4:10 pm local time, a Piper PA-60-601P, registered N45MA, was substantially damaged in an accident near Fort Pierce, Florida (St. Lucie County Intl. airport). It was a personal flight under general aviation rules (Part 91). No one was hurt; 3 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 27, 1988 · about 4:10 pm local time
- Place
- Fort Pierce, Florida · St. Lucie County Intl.
- Type
- Accident
- Injuries
- No one was hurt; 3 people were on board or involved.
- Weather
- visual conditions (good weather)
- Aircraft
- Piper PA-60-601P · all PA-60-601Ps on the register
- Registration
- N45MA · registry record · serial 61P-0454-175
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Personal flight · general aviation rules (Part 91)
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
AIR TRAFFIC CONTROLLERS STATED THAT WHILE THE AIRCRAFT WAS ON SHORT FINAL THEY NOTICED THAT THE GEAR ON THE AIRCRAFT WAS NOT EXTENDED. THEY ATTEMPTED TO CONTACT THE PILOT BUT HE NEVER RESPONDED. THE PILOT STATED THAT HE FAILED TO EXTEND THE LANDING GEAR PRIOR TO LANDING. NO EVIDENCE WAS FOUND TO INDICATE ANY PREACCIDENT FAILURE OR MALFUNCTION OF THE LANDING GEAR OPERATING SYSTEM.
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: 1,868 hours in all; 160 in this make and model; 15 in the last 90 days; 1,703 as pilot in command
- Medical certificate: Class 2 (valid medical--no waivers/lim.)
- Seat: left
The aircraft
- Airframe total time: 1,777 hours
- Last inspection: 100-hour inspection, November 1, 1988; 21 hours since
- Maximum gross weight: 6,000 lb
- Seats: 6
- Landing gear: retractable
- Engine: Lycoming IO-540-S1A5 (piston); 0 hours total
The flight
- Departed from: MYAT Tr. Cay,Bermuda OF at 2:45 pm
- Flight plan: IFR
- Runway 14, 5,000 ft by 200 ft
Weather at the time
- Light: daylight
- Wind: from 150° at 10 knots
- Visibility: 10 statute miles
- Sky: broken clouds at 3,000 ft; not recorded
- Temperature: 81°F (27°C), dew point 0°F (-18°C)
- Altimeter: 30.00 inHg
- Observation at 4:12 pm from FPR
Injuries
| Fatal | Serious | Minor | None | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Crew | 1 | |||
| Passengers | 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.