Piper PA-44-180 accident near St Augustine, Florida, August 23, 1989
On August 23, 1989 at about 11:45 pm local time, a Piper PA-44-180, registered N8517D, 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
INADVERTENT RETRACTION OF THE LANDING GEAR, AND THE INSTRUCTOR PILOT'S INADEQUATE SUPERVISION OF THE FLIGHT.
Source: NTSB aviation accident database, copy made October 5, 2026. Docket and reports at the NTSB.
What the record shows
- Date
- August 23, 1989 · about 11:45 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-44-180 · all PA-44-180s on the register
- Registration
- N8517D · no longer on the register · serial 44-799-5312
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Instructional flight · general aviation rules (Part 91)
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
BOTH THE INSTRUCTOR (CFI) & STUDENT PLT RPRTD THAT THE LANDING GEAR WAS EXTENDED TO THE DOWN & LOCKED PSN WHILE THE ACFT WAS IN THE TRAFFIC PATTERN. ALSO, A PLT IN ANOTHER ACFT BEHIND THE PA-44 NOTED THAT THE GEAR WAS EXTENDED. HOWEVER,AS THE ACFT WAS LANDED, IT SETTLED TO THE RWY & SUBSEQUENTLY STOPPED WITH THE GEAR RETRACTED. THE CFI RPRTD THERE WAS NO WARNING HORN OR LIGHTS DURING THE APCH. AFTER THE ACFT WAS RAISED FROM THE RWY, THE WARNING HORN OPERATED NORMALLY. ALSO, THE GEAR OPERATED NORMALLY DURING A RETRACTION TEST.
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: airline transport pilot, flight instructor, commercial pilot
- Ratings: multi-engine land; single-engine land; instrument: airplane
- Flight time: 3,024 hours in all; 35 in this make and model; 204 in the last 90 days; 28 in the last 30 days
- Medical certificate: Class 1 (valid medical--no waivers/lim.)
- Seat: unk
The aircraft
- Last inspection: annual inspection
- Maximum gross weight: 3,800 lb
- Seats: 4
- Landing gear: retractable
- Engine: Lycoming L/O-360-E1A6D (piston); 0 hours total
- Operator: First Coast Flight Center, INC
The flight
- Flight plan: none
- Runway 13, 6,947 ft by 150 ft
- A second pilot was aboard
Weather at the time
- Light: daylight
- Wind: from 140° at 5 knots
- Visibility: 7 statute miles
- Sky: scat at 8,000 ft
- Temperature: 0°F (-18°C), dew point 0°F (-18°C)
- Observation at 11:55 pm from CRG, 25 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.