Lake 4-200 accident near Melbourne, Florida, May 7, 1996
On May 7, 1996 at about 8:50 pm local time, a Lake 4-200, registered N3027P, was substantially damaged in an accident near Melbourne, Florida (Lake Washington airport). It was an instructional flight under general aviation rules (Part 91). 3 people were killed. The weather was visual conditions (good weather).
The NTSB's probable cause their words, unchanged
The pilot's failure to maintain clearance from trees while maneuvering. A factor was the tailwind condition.
Source: NTSB aviation accident database, copy made October 5, 2026. Docket and reports at the NTSB.
What the record shows
- Date
- May 7, 1996 · about 8:50 pm local time
- Place
- Melbourne, Florida · Lake Washington · map
- Type
- Accident
- Injuries
- 3 people were killed.
- Weather
- visual conditions (good weather)
- Aircraft
- Lake 4-200
- Registration
- N3027P · registry record · serial 964
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Instructional flight · general aviation rules (Part 91)
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
The operator stated that the training flight departed the airport enroute to a nearby lake. The purpose of the flight was for the dual student to complete three takeoffs and three landings in accordance with Part 61.57. Approximately 20 minutes into the flight, the airplane collided with trees on the western shore of the lake. According to the operator, the collision occurred in the vicinity of the 6,000 foot long landing and takeoff lanes used by seaplanes at the lake. There were no eyewitnesses to the accident. The aircraft wreckage was located at 1755 by another pilot flying near the accident site. Examination of the accident site disclosed that the airplane was 75 yards west of the tree line, and wreckage debris was scattered over an area 225 feet long and 75 feet wide. A 44 inch section of the outboard left wing panel, with the tip, was located in the immediate vicinity of the freshly broken trees. The examination of the airframe and engine assemblies failed to disclose a mechanical problem. The prevailing winds were out of the east at 15 knots; the wreckage path was orientated on a 300 degree magnetic heading.
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, flight instructor, commercial pilot
- Ratings: multi-engine land; multi-engine sea; single-engine land; single-engine sea; instructor: airplane multi-engine; instructor: airplane single-engine; instrument: airplane
- Flight time: 9,680 hours in all; 13 in this make and model; 84 in the last 90 days; 49 in the last 30 days; 7,670 as pilot in command; 4,791 on instruments
- Medical certificate: Class 2 (valid medical--no waivers/lim.)
- Seat: rgt
The aircraft
- Airframe total time: 1,529 hours
- Last inspection: annual inspection, March 26, 1996; 30 hours since
- Maximum gross weight: 2,606 lb
- Seats: 4
- Landing gear: fixed
- Engine: Lycoming IO-360-A1B (piston); 0 hours total
The flight
- Departed from: MLB at 8:30 pm
- Flight plan: none
- Runway 28, 6,000 ft
- A second pilot was aboard
Weather at the time
- Light: daylight
- Wind: from 110° at 15 knots
- Visibility: 1080 statute miles
- Sky: scat at 3,000 ft
- Temperature: 81°F (27°C), dew point 66°F (19°C)
- Altimeter: 30.00 inHg
- Observation at 8:48 pm from MLB, 7 miles away
Injuries
| Fatal | Serious | Minor | None | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Crew | 2 | |||
| 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.