Piper PA-32R-300 accident near Gainesville, Florida, May 16, 1989
On May 16, 1989 at about 12:54 pm local time, a Piper PA-32R-300, registered N43797, was substantially damaged in an accident near Gainesville, Florida (Gainesville Reg. airport). It was a business flight under general aviation rules (Part 91). 1 person had minor injuries. The weather was visual conditions (good weather).
The NTSB's probable cause their words, unchanged
PILOT'S INABILITY TO PROPERLY FLARE DUE TO A HIGH SINK RATE AS A RESULT OF INSUFFICIENT AIRSPEED WHICH RESULTED IN A HARD LANDING SHORT OF AND OFF OF THE RUNWAY.
Source: NTSB aviation accident database, copy made October 5, 2026. Docket and reports at the NTSB.
What the record shows
- Date
- May 16, 1989 · about 12:54 pm local time
- Place
- Gainesville, Florida · Gainesville Reg.
- Type
- Accident
- Injuries
- 1 person had minor injuries.
- Weather
- visual conditions (good weather)
- Aircraft
- Piper PA-32R-300 · all PA-32R-300s on the register
- Registration
- N43797 · no longer on the register · serial 32R-7780526
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Business flight · general aviation rules (Part 91)
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
THE FLT WAS CRUISING IN VFR CONDS WHEN RADIO CONTACT WAS LOST WITH CENTER. THE PLT DESCENDED & RETURNED TO GNV. HE STATED THAT HE WAS UNABLE TO FULLY EXTEND & LOCK THE GEAR USING NORMAL & EMERG MEANS DUE TO A LOSS OF ELECT POWER. AN APRCH WAS FLOWN FOR THE RWY WITH THE MAIN GEAR DOWN & THE NOSE GEAR IN AN UNDETERMINED POSITION. THE PLT STATED THAT ON SHORT FINAL APRCH, HE SAW THAT HE WAS GOING TO BE SHORT OF THE RWY & ATTEMPTED TO ADD POWER BUT THE ENGINE DID NOT RESPOND. A HARD LANDING WAS MADE ON THE OVERRUN SECTION OF THE RWY WHICH DROVE THE MAIN GEAR INTO THE SPAR CAUSING A PARTIAL COLLAPSE OF THE GEAR & MAJOR DAMAGE TO THE ACFT. THE ALTERNATOR WAS LATER EXAMINED BY MAINT PERSNL WHO REPORTED THE BRUSHES WERE COMPLETELY BURNED OUT. TWO WITNESSES, BOTH OF WHOM ARE CFIS, STATED THAT WHILE ON SHORT FINAL, THEY HEARD TWO POWER APPLICATIONS BEFORE IMPACT BUT THE ACFT HAD DEVELOPED A NOSE HI ATTITUDE & HI SINK RATE WHICH WAS NOT ARRESTED PRIOR TO IMPACT WITH THE GRND. FAA PERSONL LATER TEST RAN THE ENG WHICH CHECKED OUT OK.
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; instrument: airplane
- Flight time: 1,307 hours in all; 704 in this make and model; 51 in the last 90 days; 21 in the last 30 days; 1,257 as pilot in command
- Medical certificate: Class 3 (valid medical--w/ waivers/lim.)
- Seat: left
The aircraft
- Airframe total time: 3,655 hours
- Last inspection: annual inspection, June 3, 1988; 152 hours since
- Maximum gross weight: 3,400 lb
- Seats: 6
- Landing gear: retractable
- Engine: Lycoming IO-540K (piston); 0 hours total
- Operator: Orthopaedics Associates, INC.
The flight
- Departed from: GNV Gainesville FL at 11:15 am
- Destination: PNS Pensacola FL
- Flight plan: IFR
- Runway 24, 4,147 ft by 100 ft
Weather at the time
- Light: daylight
- Wind: from 040° at 7 knots
- Visibility: 6 statute miles
- Sky: clear
- Temperature: 73°F (23°C), dew point 63°F (17°C)
- Altimeter: 29.00 inHg
- Observation at 12:55 pm from GNV
Injuries
| Fatal | Serious | Minor | None | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Crew | 1 |
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.