Piper PA-28-161 accident near Homestead, Florida, January 13, 1992
On January 13, 1992 at about 11:23 pm local time, a Piper PA-28-161, registered N2606Y, was destroyed in an accident near Homestead, Florida. It was a personal flight under general aviation rules (Part 91). 2 people were killed. The weather was visual conditions (good weather).
The NTSB's probable cause their words, unchanged
THE NON-INSTRUMENT RATED PILOT'S CONTINUED VFR FLIGHT INTO INSTRUMENT FLIGHT CONDITIONS RESULTING IN SPATIAL DISORIENTATION AND INFLIGHT LOSS OF CONTROL.
Source: NTSB aviation accident database, copy made October 5, 2026. Docket and reports at the NTSB.
What the record shows
- Date
- January 13, 1992 · about 11:23 pm local time
- Place
- Homestead, Florida
- Type
- Accident
- Injuries
- 2 people were killed.
- Weather
- visual conditions (good weather)
- Aircraft
- Piper PA-28-161 · all PA-28-161s on the register
- Registration
- N2606Y · no longer on the register · serial 28-8616045
- Damage
- Destroyed
- Flight
- Personal flight · general aviation rules (Part 91)
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
NON-INSTRUMENT RATED PLT WAS FLYING NORTHBOUND OVER BISCAYNE BAY AT NIGHT. WX WAS 1500 TO 2500 SCT WITH RAINSHOWERS. FLT WAS RADIO AND RADAR CONTACT WITH MIAMI APPROACH AND WAS OBSERVED TO FLY ERRATIC HEADING AND ALTITUDE. PLT REPORTED TO ATC HE WAS LOSING CONTROL. GROUND WITNESSES ON SAIL BOAT IN HARBOR OF BOCA CHITA ISLAND REPORTED SEEING ACFT DESCENDING AT 45 DEGREE NOSE DOWN ATTITUDE AND CRASH INTO BAY. POST CRASH EXAM OF WRECKAGE REVEALED NO EVIDENCE OF FAILURE OR MALFUNCTION OF ACFT STRUCTURE, FLT CONTROLS, ENGINE, OR VACUUM SYSTEM. PLT LOGBOOK WAS NOT LOCATED AFTER ACCIDENT AND RECENCY OF EXPERIENCE FOR NIGHT FLIGHT AND INSTRUMENT FLIGHT COULD NOT BE DETERMINED.
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: 250 hours in all; 225 in this make and model; 15 in the last 90 days; 5 in the last 30 days; 160 as pilot in command
- Medical certificate: Class 3 (valid medical--w/ waivers/lim.)
- Seat: left
The aircraft
- Airframe total time: 3,788 hours
- Last inspection: 100-hour inspection, January 3, 1992; 32 hours since
- Maximum gross weight: 2,447 lb
- Seats: 4
- Landing gear: fixed
- Engine: Lycoming O-320-D3G (piston); 0 hours total
- Operator: Boca Flight Center, INC.
The flight
- Departed from: X09 Key Largo FL at 11:15 pm
- Destination: FLL Ft. Lauderdale FL
- Flight plan: none
- Runway 0
Weather at the time
- Light: night, dark
- Wind: from 180° at 2 knots
- Visibility: 7 statute miles
- Sky: scat at 2,500 ft
- Temperature: 73°F (23°C), dew point 70°F (21°C)
- Altimeter: 29.00 inHg
- Observation at 11:55 pm from HST, 12 miles away
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.
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.