Piper PA-34-220T accident near St Augustine, Florida, March 12, 1989
On March 12, 1989 at about 6:15 pm local time, a Piper PA-34-220T, registered N8417H, was substantially damaged in an accident near St Augustine, Florida (St Augustine 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
INADVERTENTLY RETRACTION OF THE LANDING GEAR, AND FAILURE OF THE INSTRUCTOR PILOT (CFI) TO NOTE THAT THE GEAR HAD BEEN RETRACTED. A FACTOR RELATED TO THE ACCIDENT WAS: IMPROPER FLARE BY THE STUDENT PILOT.
Source: NTSB aviation accident database, copy made October 5, 2026. Docket and reports at the NTSB.
What the record shows
- Date
- March 12, 1989 · about 6:15 pm local time
- Place
- St Augustine, Florida · St Augustine · map
- Type
- Accident
- Injuries
- No one was hurt; 2 people were on board or involved.
- Weather
- visual conditions (good weather)
- Aircraft
- Piper PA-34-220T · all PA-34-220Ts on the register
- Registration
- N8417H · registry record · serial 34-8133178
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Instructional flight · general aviation rules (Part 91)
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
THE MULTI-ENG PVT PLT WAS RECEIVING INSTRUCTION FROM HIS CFI. THE PLT STATED THE LDG WAS ON THE MAIN GEAR, 'SLIGHTLY HARD & THE PLANE FLOATED UP A COUPLE OF FT.' TOUCHING DOWN AGAIN ABT 50 YDS DOWN THE RWY, THE ACFT LNDD ON THE WHEELS, BUT SEEMED LOW. THE CFI ADMITTED TO A FLAT APCH WHICH RESULTED IN A 'SLIGHT BOUNCE OF ABT 3 FT'. THE ACFT WAS PLACED ON JACKS & 8 RETRACTION/EXTENSION CYCLES WERE PERFORMED. THE GEAR OPERATED NORMALLY. THERE WAS NO EVIDENCE OF ANY MALFUNCTION OR FAILURE; SCUFF MARKS ON THE SIDEWALLS OF THE MAIN GEAR TIRES INDICATED THEY WERE UP AS THE ACFT SKIDDED ALONG THE RWY.
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: 518 hours in all; 57 in this make and model; 66 in the last 90 days; 14 in the last 30 days; 408 as pilot in command
- Medical certificate: Class 2 (valid medical--no waivers/lim.)
- Seat: left
The aircraft
- Airframe total time: 1,200 hours
- Last inspection: annual inspection, March 8, 1989; 3 hours since
- Maximum gross weight: 4,760 lb
- Seats: 6
- Landing gear: retractable
- Engine: Continental TSIO-520 (piston); 0 hours total
The flight
- Departed from: CRG Jacksonville FL at 4:30 pm
- Flight plan: none
- Runway 24, 2,600 ft by 60 ft
- A second pilot was aboard
Weather at the time
- Light: daylight
- Wind: from 240° at 7 knots
- Visibility: 6 statute miles
- Sky: broken clouds at 20,000 ft; not recorded
- Temperature: 79°F (26°C), dew point 46°F (8°C)
- Altimeter: 29.00 inHg
- Observation at 12:50 pm from CRG, 27 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.