Punta Gorda Airport
Aircraft Accident/Incident Report

Punta Gorda, Florida 33950
Tuesady, September 6, 1988 12:22 EDT

NTSB Narrative Summary Released at Completion of Accident

THE PLT WAS RETURNING FROM VFR XC FLT DURING WHICH MANY CLIMBS, DESCENTS & DETOURS WERE MADE TO AVOID ADVERSE WX & MAINTAIN VFR. HE STATED THE STRONG HEADWINDS CONSIDERABLY REDUCED HIS GRNDSPEED. AT HIS 1ST INTENDED LDG ARPT, STRONG GUSTY X-WINDS MADE THE APRCH 'SQUIRRELLY' & HE ABANDONED THE ATTEMPT & FLEW TO AN ARPT WITH WIDER RWYS NEARLY ALIGNED WITH THE WIND. AT ABOUT 800 FT TURNING BASE TO FINAL, THE ENG QUIT DUE TO FUEL STARVATION & THE PLT WAS TOO LOW TO REGAIN ENG POWER. A FORCED LDG WAS ATTEMPTED ON A ROAD, BUT THE ACFT CLIPPED A POWERLINE WHICH THREW THE ACFT OUT OF CONTROL & IT CRASHED INTO A DITCH. THE PLT LATER STATED TO AVOID AN ACCIDENT SUCH AS THIS IN THE FUTURE, HE WOULD PAY MORE POSITIVE ATTENTION TO FUEL CONSUMPTION & QUANTITY OF FUEL REMAINING IN EACH TANK.

NTSB Probable Cause Narrative

Not Yet Reported

Event Information

Type of Event Accident
Event Date 9/6/1988
Event Day of the Week Tuesday
Time of Event 1222
Event Time Zone Eastern Daylight Time
Event City PUNTA GORDA
Event State FLORIDA
Event Country --
Zipcode of the event site 33950
Event Date Year 1988
Event Date Month 9
MidAir Collision Indicator No
On Ground Collision occurred ? No
Event Location Latitude
Event Location Longitude
Event Location Airport PUNTA GORDA
Event Location Nearest Airport ID PGD
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 25
Weather Briefing Completeness Unknown
Investigator's weather source Weather Observation Facility
Time of the weather observation 1147
Direction of event from weather observation facility (degrees) 345
Weather Observation Facility ID FMY
Elevation of weather observation facility 18
Distance of event from weather observation facility (units?) 24
Time Zone of the weather observation
Lighting Conditions Day
Lowest Ceiling Height 2000
Lowest Non-Ceiling Height 0
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) 29
Dew Point at event time (in degress fahrenheit) 24
Wind Direction (degrees magnetic) 180
Variable Wind Indicator Unknown
Wind Speed (knots) 14
Wind Velocity Indicator Unknown
Wind Gust Indicator Unknown
Wind Gust (knots) 20
Altimeter Setting at event time (in. Hg) 29
Density Altitude (feet) --
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 1
Injury Total None --
Injury Total Serious 1
Injury Total All 2
Investigating Agency NTSB
NTSB Docket Number (internal use) 1423
NTSB Notification Source --
NTSB Notification Date Sep 6 1988 12:00AM
NTSB Notification Time 1305
Fiche Number and/or location -used to find docket information 37551
Date of most recent change to record Dec 13 2000 12:09PM
User who most recently changed record dbo
Basic weather conditions Visual Meteorological Cond
FAA District Office --

Aircraft Involved

Aircraft #1

Aircraft Registration Number N8670P
NTSB Number MIA88LA266
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-24-260
Aircraft Series Identifier PA-24-260
Aircraft Serial Number 24-4118
Certified Max Gross Weight 3880
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 5
Number of Engines 1
Fixed gear or retractable gear Retractable
Aircraft, Type of Last Inspection Annual
Date of Last Inspection Jun 1 1988 12:00AM
Airframe hours since last inspection 53
Airframe Hours 2385
ELT Installed Yes
ELT Activated Unknown
ELT Aided Location of Event Site No
ELT Type --
Aircraft Owner Name JOSEPH H BURGESS
Aircraft Owner Street Address 6292 MORGAN LA FEE LANE
Aircraft Owner City FORT MYERS
Aircraft Owner State FL
Aircraft Owner Country
Aircraft Owner Zipcode 33912
Operator is an individual? --
Operator Name JOSEPH H. BURGESS
Operator Same as Owner? No
Operator Is Doing Business As --
Operator Address Same as Owner? No
Operator Street Address 6292 MORGAN LA FEE LANE
Operator City FORT MEYERS
Operator State FL
Operator Country
Operator Zip code 33950
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) Personal
Second Pilot on Board No
Departure Point Same as Event No
Departure Airport Code GVL
Departure City GAINESVILLE
Departure State GA
Departure Country
Departure Time 820
Departure Time Zone EDT
Destination Same as Local Flt --
Destination Airport Code FMY
Destination City FT. MYERS
Destination State FL
Destination Country
Specific Phase of Flight Descent
Report sent to ICAO? --
Evacuation occurred --
Date of most recent change to record Jan 2 2001 10:35AM
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 --