- Date
- November 23, 1985, 09:28 local (14:28 UTC)
- Place
- Lantana, FL
- Injuries
- 1 fatal
- Damage
- Destroyed
- Phase of flight
- Initial climb
- Aircraft
- N9867CNorth American T-28A
- Weather
- Visual (VMC) · Day
- Status
- Completed
- Report
- Approved by Office Director
- FAA report
- 19851123057849A
- Case key
- 31473
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
The pilot/mechanic had recently re-installed a rebuilt engine in the aircraft and performed a very short run-up prior to takeoff. Witnesses stated the aircraft engine made popping noises and was belching black smoke during the takeoff roll. The aircraft became airborne and mushed around a left 180 degree turn before crashing in a swampy area at the airport edge. Examination of the ignition harness and spark plugs revealed that a 7 mm harness was installed utilizing 5 mm sparkplug connectors. Six sparkplugs exhibited evidence of flashover in the sparkplug connector wells. This caused a partial power loss of the total required power available and necessary for flight.
Aircraft
- Registration
- N9867C
- Reported as
- North American T-28A
- Category
- Airplane
- Serial number
- 49-1669
- Airframe hours
- 2,200
- Engine
- Wright R-1300-1B, 800 horsepower, reciprocating
- Damage
- Destroyed
- Flight
- Part 91
- Registered owner
- Benjamin J. Demonstranti
- Airworthiness certificate
- Special, Restricted (Special)
- Last inspection
- Annual · October 1, 1984 · 4 hours before
- Departed
- LNA · Lantana, FL
- Airport
- LNA · Palm Beach County, runway 22, 3,485 × 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
- 51
- Certificate
- Private
- Airplane ratings
- Multi-engine land, Single-engine land
- Medical
- Class 2, Valid Medical--w/ waivers/lim
- Seat
- Center
- Toxicology
- Performed
- Flight hours
- 387 as pilot in command
Weather
- Conditions
- Visual (VMC) · Day
- Wind
- 360° at 9 knots
- Visibility
- 7 statute miles
- Lowest ceiling
- None
- Altimeter
- 30.00 inHg
- Observed at
- PBI, 5 nm away
FAA reports on this event · 1
The FAA’s own accident and incident reports, matched to the aircraft by N-number and date.