Piper PA-24 accident near Cross City, Florida, March 30, 2001
On March 30, 2001 at about 4:14 pm local time, a Piper PA-24, registered N7640P, was substantially damaged in an accident near Cross City, Florida (Sarasota International Airport). It was a personal flight under general aviation rules (Part 91). 2 people had minor injuries. The weather was visual conditions (good weather).
The NTSB's probable cause their words, unchanged
The fracture of the crankshaft assembly that resulted in a total loss of engine power.
Source: NTSB aviation accident database, copy made October 5, 2026. Docket and reports at the NTSB.
What the record shows
- Date
- March 30, 2001 · about 4:14 pm local time
- Place
- Cross City, Florida · Sarasota International Airport · map
- Type
- Accident · collision on the ground
- Injuries
- 2 people had minor injuries.
- Weather
- visual conditions (good weather)
- Aircraft
- Piper PA-24 · all PA-24s on the register
- Registration
- N7640P · no longer on the register · serial 24-2852
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Personal flight · general aviation rules (Part 91)
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
During cruise flight at 6,000 feet about two to three miles off shore, the pilot heard a loud bang followed by a violent shake of the airplane and a subsequent loss of engine power. The pilot glided the plane toward shore, then elected to ditch the airplane into the Gulf of Mexico. The airplane was recovered and the connecting rod and connecting rod bearing were sent via FedEx to the NTSB lab for examination on April 18, 2001. The NTSB lab never received the parts. Several attempts to track the parts through FedEx were unsuccessful.
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
- Flight time: 1,806 hours in all; 1,000 in this make and model; 9 in the last 90 days; 2 in the last 30 days; 1,674 as pilot in command
- Last flight review: May 18, 2000
- Medical certificate: Class 3 (valid medical--w/ waivers/lim.)
- Seat: left
- Injury: minor injuries
The aircraft
- Airframe total time: 4,680 hours
- Last inspection: annual inspection, December 16, 2000; 10 hours since
- Maximum gross weight: 2,550 lb
- Seats: 4
- Landing gear: retractable
- Engine: Lycoming O-360 (piston); 0 hours total
The flight
- Departed from: SRQ Sarasota, Fl FL at 4:00 pm
- Destination: JKA Jack Edwards AL
- Flight plan: IFR
Weather at the time
- Light: daylight
- Wind: from 130° at 12 knots
- Visibility: 10 statute miles
- Sky: broken clouds at 5,500 ft; scat at 500 ft
- Temperature: 64°F (18°C), dew point 64°F (18°C)
- Altimeter: 29.34 inHg
- Observation at 4:35 pm from SRQ
Injuries
| Fatal | Serious | Minor | None | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Crew | 1 | |||
| Passengers | 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.