- Date
- February 28, 1985, 12:04 local (17:04 UTC)
- Place
- W. Palm Beach, FL
- Injuries
- 1 minor, 3 uninjured
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Phase of flight
- Enroute
- Aircraft
- N120DGPiper PA-32R
- Weather
- Visual (VMC) · Day
- Status
- Completed
- Report
- Approved by Office Director
- Case key
- 31361
From the NTSB’s public API. By law, NTSB reports can’t be used as evidence in lawsuits over the accident.
On this page
Sequence of events
NTSB’s coding before 2008: each occurrence and phase of flight, and the causes and factors under it. The codes are defined in NTSB’s coding manual.
Analysis
While en route, the plt contacted Palm Beach apch control & obtain flt following. He reported that he was 20 mi north & wished to proceed southbound along the coast. The controller acknowledged the request & advised the plt to remain VFR. The controller did not specify an altitude, but querried as to whether the plt intended to remain below 1000 ft. the plt descended from 1500 ft to 700 ft & contd. Subsequently, the controller advised the plt of heavy jet traffic at his 1 o'clock psn at 1-1/2 mi, heading westbound. Aprx 1 min later, the plt of N120DG reported that he had just encountered wake turbulence from the heavy jet. The plt contd to his destination. After landing, the passenger, who received minor injuries, was taken to a hospital, treated & released. The plt flew the acft back to daytona. During a post flight inspection, substantial damage was fnd which included wrinkled wing skin, popped rivets & deformation of the firewall.
Aircraft
- Registration
- N120DG
- Reported as
- Piper PA-32R
- Category
- Airplane
- Serial number
- 32R8129077
- Airframe hours
- 586
- Engine
- Lycoming TIO-540, 300 horsepower, reciprocating
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Executive/Corporate · Part 91
- Registered owner
- Dick Proctor Custom Homes, Inc
- Airworthiness certificate
- Standard, Normal
- Last inspection
- 100 hour · July 1, 1984
- Departed
- X82 · Ft. Pierce, FL
- Destination
- HWO · Hollywood, FL
- Airport
- PBI · W. Palm Beach, runway 27R, 7,991 × 150 ft, asphalt
Matched to the registry by N-number and the event date; the registry’s history has gaps, so older matches can be wrong. Compare the reported make and model.
Flight crew
As NTSB recorded them. NTSB leaves out names.
- Role
- Pilot
- Age
- 22
- Certificates
- Flight instructor, Commercial
- Airplane ratings
- Multi-engine land, Single-engine land
- Instrument ratings
- Airplane
- Medical
- Class 1, Valid Medical--w/ waivers/lim
- Seat
- Left
- Flight hours
- 3,132 total · 119 in this make and model · 2,963 as pilot in command · 46 in the last 90 days · 4 in the last 24 hours
Weather
- Conditions
- Visual (VMC) · Day
- Wind
- 320° at 4 knots
- Visibility
- 7 statute miles
- Lowest ceiling
- None
- Temperature
- 82 °F, dew point 59 °F
- Altimeter
- 30.00 inHg
- Observed at
- PBI, 1 nm away