Piper PA-38-112 accident near Fernandina Bch, Florida, September 15, 1989
On September 15, 1989 at about 11:10 pm local time, a Piper PA-38-112, registered N91344, was substantially damaged in an accident near Fernandina Bch, Florida (Fernandina Beach Muni 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 PRIVATE PILOT'S FAILURE TO MAINTAIN AIRSPEED ON FINAL APPROACH, WHICH RESULTED IN A STALL/MUSH. THE TURBULENCE WAS A RELATED FACTOR.
Source: NTSB aviation accident database, copy made October 5, 2026. Docket and reports at the NTSB.
What the record shows
- Date
- September 15, 1989 · about 11:10 pm local time
- Place
- Fernandina Bch, Florida · Fernandina Beach Muni · map
- Type
- Accident
- Injuries
- No one was hurt; 2 people were on board or involved.
- Weather
- visual conditions (good weather)
- Aircraft
- Piper PA-38-112 · all PA-38-112s on the register
- Registration
- N91344 · no longer on the register · serial 38-82A0010
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Instructional flight · general aviation rules (Part 91)
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
AS A STUDENT PLT WAS PREPARING TO FLY, HE INVITED A PVT PLT TO ACCOMPANY HIM & THE PVT PLT ACCEPTED THE OFFER. THEY FLEW TO ANOTHER ARPT IN THE AREA TO PRACTICE TOUGH-&-GO LANDINGS. WHILE PRACTICING LANDINGS, THEY NOTED THE WIND WAS 'BOUNCING' THE ACFT. AS THE PVT PLT WAS MAKING AN APCH TO LAND, THE ACFT BEGAN TO LOSE ALTITUDE, RAPIDLY. THE PVT PLT APPLIED FULL POWER, BUT THE ACFT CRASHED ABOUT 70 FT SHORT OF THE RWY BEFORE HE STOPPED THE DSCNT.
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
- Flight time: 140 hours in all; 18 in this make and model; 77 in the last 90 days; 44 in the last 30 days; 71 as pilot in command
- Medical certificate: Class 1 (valid medical--no waivers/lim.)
- Seat: rgt
The aircraft
- Airframe total time: 3,345 hours
- Last inspection: 100-hour inspection, September 7, 1989; 61 hours since
- Maximum gross weight: 1,670 lb
- Seats: 2
- Landing gear: fixed
- Engine: Lycoming O-235-L2C (piston); 0 hours total
- Operator: Shields Aviation
The flight
- Departed from: CRG Jacksonville FL at 10:15 pm
- Flight plan: none
- Runway 13, 4,800 ft by 150 ft
- A second pilot was aboard
Weather at the time
- Light: daylight
- Wind: from 150° at 10 knots
- Visibility: 7 statute miles
- Sky: scat at 4,500 ft
- Temperature: 82°F (28°C), dew point 75°F (24°C)
- Altimeter: 29.00 inHg
- Observation at 11:50 pm from JAX, 13 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.