Piper PA-28-140 accident near Deland, Florida, September 21, 2000
On September 21, 2000 at about 7:48 pm local time, a Piper PA-28-140, registered N5530F, was substantially damaged in an accident near Deland, Florida (Deland Municiapal airport). It was a personal flight under general aviation rules (Part 91). No one was hurt; 1 person was on board or involved. The weather was visual conditions (good weather).
The NTSB's probable cause their words, unchanged
A partial loss of engine power during initial climb following takeoff, due to the restricted movement of the number two cylinder's exhaust valve.
Source: NTSB aviation accident database, copy made October 5, 2026. Docket and reports at the NTSB.
What the record shows
- Date
- September 21, 2000 · about 7:48 pm local time
- Place
- Deland, Florida · Deland Municiapal · map
- Type
- Accident
- Injuries
- No one was hurt; 1 person was on board or involved.
- Weather
- visual conditions (good weather)
- Aircraft
- Piper PA-28-140 · all PA-28-140s on the register
- Registration
- N5530F · no longer on the register · serial 28-24872
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Personal flight · general aviation rules (Part 91)
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
Shortly after takeoff the engine lost power and developed a rough run condition. The pilot elected to return to the runway and made a 180-degree turn in an attempt to land on runway 5. to since another airplane had landed on runway 23, the pilot landed on the grass adjacent to runway 5. During the emergency landing sequence, the nose and right main landing gear were sheared off, and the right wing and firewall were bent. The post-accident examination of the engine revealed that the exhaust valve for the number two cylinder was stuck in the open position.
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: airline transport pilot
- Ratings: multi-engine land; single-engine land; instructor: airplane multi-engine; instructor: airplane single-engine; instructor: instrument airplane; instrument: airplane
- Flight time: 10,000 hours in all; 3,000 in this make and model; 120 in the last 90 days; 25 in the last 30 days; 9,500 as pilot in command; 9,500 on instruments
- Medical certificate: Class 1 (valid medical--no waivers/lim.)
- Seat: left
The aircraft
- Airframe total time: 6,827 hours
- Last inspection: annual inspection, July 7, 2000; 40 hours since
- Maximum gross weight: 2,150 lb
- Seats: 4
- Landing gear: fixed
- Engine: Lycoming O-320-E3D (piston); 0 hours total
The flight
- Departed from: DED at 7:45 pm
- Destination: SUA Stuart FL
- Flight plan: none
- Runway 23, 4,379 ft by 75 ft
Weather at the time
- Light: daylight
- Wind: at 6 knots
- Visibility: 10 statute miles
- Sky: scat at 3,900 ft
- Temperature: 84°F (29°C), dew point 77°F (25°C)
- Altimeter: 29.00 inHg
- Observation at 7:53 pm from DAB, 14 miles away
Injuries
| Fatal | Serious | Minor | None | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Crew | 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.