Piper PA-34-200 accident near Sarasota, Florida, December 28, 1989
On December 28, 1989 at about 7:50 pm local time, a Piper PA-34-200, registered N831SR, was substantially damaged in an accident near Sarasota, Florida (Sarasota-Bradenton airport). It was a personal 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
EXCESSIVE AIRSPEED FOR LANDING AND IMPROPER FLARE BY THE PILOT, WHICH RESULTED IN AN INADVERTENT PORPOISE; AND THE PILOT'S IMPROPER RECOVERY FROM A BOUNCED LANDING, WHICH RESULTED IN A HARD LANDING. A RELATED FACTOR WAS THE CROSSWIND CONDITION.
Source: NTSB aviation accident database, copy made October 5, 2026. Docket and reports at the NTSB.
What the record shows
- Date
- December 28, 1989 · about 7:50 pm local time
- Place
- Sarasota, Florida · Sarasota-Bradenton
- Type
- Accident
- Injuries
- No one was hurt; 2 people were on board or involved.
- Weather
- visual conditions (good weather)
- Aircraft
- Piper PA-34-200 · all PA-34-200s on the register
- Registration
- N831SR · no longer on the register · serial 34-7770416
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Personal flight · general aviation rules (Part 91)
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
THE PLT WAS INITIALLY CLEARED TO LAND ON RWY 32, BUT HIS CLEARANCE WAS CHANGED TO RWY 22. ALSO, THE PLT WAS ASKED TO KEEP HIS SPEED UP. HE STATED THAT AT 200 FT, HIS AIRSPEED WAS INDICATING 89 KTS & HE ELECTED TO LAND LONG. AFTER TOUCHDOWN, THE ACFT BEGAN PORPOISING. SUBSEQUENTLY, THE NOSE GEAR & PROPELLER WERE DAMAGED, BUT THE PILOT WAS ABLE TO TAXI THE ACFT TO THE FBO.
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: commercial pilot
- Ratings: multi-engine land; single-engine land; instrument: airplane
- Flight time: 387 hours in all; 110 in this make and model; 19 in the last 90 days; 6 in the last 30 days; 229 as pilot in command
- Medical certificate: Class 2 (valid medical--w/ waivers/lim.)
- Seat: unk
The aircraft
- Last inspection: inspection type not recorded; 0 hours since
- Maximum gross weight: 4,550 lb
- Seats: 6
- Landing gear: retractable
- Engine: Continental TSIO-360-E (piston); 0 hours total
The flight
- Departed from: SAV Savannah GA at 6:00 pm
- Flight plan: IFR
- Runway 22, 5,004 ft by 150 ft
Weather at the time
- Light: daylight
- Wind: from 290° at 12 knots
- Visibility: 20 statute miles
- Sky: scat at 25,000 ft
- Temperature: 0°F (-18°C), dew point 0°F (-18°C)
- Observation at 7:46 pm from SRQ
Injuries
| Fatal | Serious | Minor | None | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Crew | 1 | |||
| Passengers | 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.
Other NTSB records under N831SR the same tail number, which may have belonged to a different aircraft at the time
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.