Aircraft Accident/Incident Report

St. Petersburg, Florida 33701
Saturday, June 26, 1993 8:55 EDT

NTSB Narrative Summary Released at Completion of Accident

THE FLIGHT INSTRUCTOR AND STUDENT STATED THAT PREFLIGHT, ENGINE START, TAXIOUT, AND ENGINE RUNUP WAS NORMAL. BEFORE TAKEOFF THEY LEANED THE ENGINE WITH THE MIXTURE CONTROL PER THE FLIGHT SCHOOLS PIPER PA-38 CHECKLIST. AFTER TAKEOFF WHILE CLIMBING THROUGH 300 FEET THE ENGINE SPUTTERED AND LOST PARTIAL POWER. THE FLIGHT INSTRUCTOR TOOK THE CONTROLS AND INITIATED A TURN BACK TO THE AIRPORT. SHORTLY AFTER THIS, THE ENGINE SPUTTERED AND LOST ALL POWER. THE INSTRUCTOR LEVELED THE WINGS AND THE AIRCRAFT WAS DITCHED IN TAMPA BAY. AFTER 10 TO 15 SECONDS THE AIRCRAFT SANK. THE INSTRUCTOR AND STUDENT EXITED THE AIRCRAFT AND WERE RESCUED BY PASSING BOATS. THE AIRCRAFT WRECKAGE WAS LOCATED AND RECOVERED 2 WEEKS AFTER THE ACCIDENT. EXAMINATION OF THE AIRCRAFT AND ENGINE AFTER RECOVERY REVEALED NO EVIDENCE TO INDICATE THE CAUSE FOR THE REPORTED LOSS OF ENGINE POWER.

NTSB Probable Cause Narrative

THE LOSS OF ENGINE POWER FOR UNDETERMINED REASONS, WHICH RESULTED IN THE AIRCRAFT BEING DITCHED.

Event Information

Type of Event Accident
Event Date 6/26/1993
Event Day of the Week Saturday
Time of Event 855
Event Time Zone Eastern Daylight Time
Event City ST. PETERSBURG
Event State FLORIDA
Event Country --
Zipcode of the event site 33701
Event Date Year 1993
Event Date Month 6
MidAir Collision Indicator No
On Ground Collision occurred ? No
Event Location Latitude
Event Location Longitude
Event Location Airport
Event Location Nearest Airport ID
Indicates whether the acc/inc occurred off or on an airport Off Airport/Airstrip
Distance from airport in statute miles 0
Degrees magnetic from airport 0
Airport Elevation --
Weather Briefing Completeness Unknown
Investigator's weather source Weather Observation Facility
Time of the weather observation 901 Eastern Daylight Time
Direction of event from weather observation facility (degrees) 240
Weather Observation Facility ID SPG
Elevation of weather observation facility 8
Distance of event from weather observation facility (units?) 1
Time Zone of the weather observation EDT
Lighting Conditions Day
Lowest Ceiling Height 5000
Lowest Non-Ceiling Height 5000
Sky/Lowest/Cloud Conditions Unknown
Sky Condition for Lowest Ceiling Broken
Visibility Runway Visual Range (Feet) 0
Visibility Runway Visual Value (Statute Miles) 0
Visibility (Statute Miles) 7
Air Temperature at event time (in degrees celsius) 27
Dew Point at event time (in degress fahrenheit) 24
Wind Direction (degrees magnetic) 140
Variable Wind Indicator Unknown
Wind Speed (knots) 5
Wind Velocity Indicator Unknown
Wind Gust Indicator Unknown
Wind Gust (knots) 0
Altimeter Setting at event time (in. Hg) 30
Density Altitude (feet) 1000
Intensity of Precipitation Unknown
METAR weather report --
Event Highest Injury Serious
On Ground, Fatal Injuries 0
On Ground, Minor Injuries 0
On Ground, Serious Injuries 0
Injury Total Fatal --
Injury Total Minor --
Injury Total None --
Injury Total Serious 2
Injury Total All 2
Investigating Agency NTSB
NTSB Docket Number (internal use) 691
NTSB Notification Source --
NTSB Notification Date Jun 26 1993 12:00AM
NTSB Notification Time 1048
Fiche Number and/or location -used to find docket information 52809
Date of most recent change to record Dec 11 2000 1:24PM
User who most recently changed record dbo
Basic weather conditions Visual Meteorological Cond
FAA District Office --

Aircraft Involved

Aircraft #1

Aircraft Registration Number N25459
NTSB Number MIA93LA147
Missing Aircraft Indicator N
Federal Aviation Reg. Part Part 91: General Aviation
Type of Flight Plan filed None
Flight plan Was Activated? --
Damage Substantial
Aircraft Fire None
Aircraft Explosion None
Aircraft Manufacturer's Full Name PIPER
Aircraft Model PA-38
Aircraft Series Identifier PA-38
Aircraft Serial Number 81-0001
Certified Max Gross Weight 1670
Aircraft Category Airplane
Aircraft Registration Class U.S. Registered/U.S. Soil
Aircraft is a homebuilt? No
Flight Crew Seats --
Cabin Crew Seats --
Passenger Seats --
Total number of seats on the aircraft 2
Number of Engines 1
Fixed gear or retractable gear Fixed
Aircraft, Type of Last Inspection 100 Hour
Date of Last Inspection Jun 23 1993 12:00AM
Airframe hours since last inspection --
Airframe Hours 2691
ELT Installed Yes
ELT Activated No
ELT Aided Location of Event Site No
ELT Type --
Aircraft Owner Name SEA-CAT MARINE
Aircraft Owner Street Address 1520 NE DIXIE HIGHWAY
Aircraft Owner City JENSEN BEACH
Aircraft Owner State FL
Aircraft Owner Country
Aircraft Owner Zipcode 34957
Operator is an individual? --
Operator Name SEA-CAT MARINE
Operator Same as Owner? Yes
Operator Is Doing Business As --
Operator Address Same as Owner? No
Operator Street Address 451 8TH AVENUE, SE
Operator City ST. PETERSBURG
Operator State FL
Operator Country
Operator Zip code 33701
Operator Code
Owner has at least one certificate None
Other Operator of large aircraft? No
Certified for Part 133 or 137 Operation Unknown
Operator Certificate Number --
Indicates whether an air carrier operation was scheduled or not --
Indicates Domestic or International Flight --
Operator carrying Pax/Cargo/Mail --
Type of Flying (Per_Bus / Primary) Instructional
Second Pilot on Board Yes
Departure Point Same as Event Yes
Departure Airport Code SPG
Departure City
Departure State
Departure Country
Departure Time 855
Departure Time Zone EDT
Destination Same as Local Flt dest & departure same, accident can occur anywhere
Destination Airport Code
Destination City
Destination State
Destination Country
Specific Phase of Flight Takeoff
Report sent to ICAO? --
Evacuation occurred --
Date of most recent change to record Jan 2 2001 10:30AM
User who most recently changed record dbo
Since inspection or accident --
Event Location Runway Number and Location 0
Runway Length --
Runway Width --
Sight Seeing flight No
Air Medical Flight No
Medical Flight --