Piper PA-28R-201T accident near Williston, Florida, May 5, 2012
On May 5, 2012 at about 7:00 pm local time, a Piper PA-28R-201T, registered N442G, was substantially damaged in an accident during initial climb near Williston, Florida (Williston Municipal airport). It was a personal flight under general aviation rules (Part 91). No one was hurt; 4 people were on board or involved. The weather was visual conditions (good weather).
The NTSB's probable cause their words, unchanged
Loss of engine power for reasons that could not be determined during postaccident examination and testing, which included a successful postaccident engine run.
Source: NTSB aviation accident database, copy made October 5, 2026. Docket and reports at the NTSB.
What the record shows
- Date
- May 5, 2012 · about 7:00 pm local time
- Place
- Williston, Florida · Williston Municipal · map
- Type
- Accident
- Injuries
- No one was hurt; 4 people were on board or involved.
- Weather
- visual conditions (good weather)
- Aircraft
- Piper PA-28R-201T · all PA-28R-201Ts on the register
- Registration
- N442G · registry record · serial 28R-7703208
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Personal flight · general aviation rules (Part 91)
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
After completing a local sightseeing flight and two touch-and-go landings at a nearby airport, the pilot departed to return to the airplane’s base airport. During takeoff, at an altitude of about 400 feet above ground level, the engine experienced a loss of power. The pilot maneuvered the airplane toward a grassy area and performed a gear-up landing, which resulted in substantial damage to the left wing. Postaccident examination of the airframe revealed that both fuel tanks were about half full of fuel. A successful postaccident test run of the engine failed to reveal any evidence of a preimpact mechanical malfunction or failure. Additionally, the weather conditions at the time of the accident were not conducive to the formation of carburetor ice at high power settings.
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
What happened, in order
- Loss of engine power (partial) during initial climb defining event
- Off-field or emergency landing during emergency descent
The NTSB's findings
- cause Not determined › Not determined › (general) › (general) › Unknown/Not determined
Pilot
- Certificate: airline transport pilot, commercial pilot
- Ratings: multi-engine land; single-engine land; single-engine sea; instrument: airplane
- Flight time: 23,230 hours in all; 11 in this make and model; 223 in the last 90 days; 79 in the last 30 days; 16,542 as pilot in command
- Last flight review: September 21, 2011
- Medical certificate: Class 1 (with waivers/limitations)
- Seat: left
- Injury: no injuries
The aircraft
- Airframe total time: 3,235 hours
- Last inspection: annual inspection, November 4, 2011
- Maximum gross weight: 2,900 lb
- Seats: 4
- Landing gear: retractable
- Engine: Cont Motor TSIO-360 SER (piston); 0 hours total
- Operator: Flyin Out LLC
The flight
- Departed from: OCF Ocala FL at 6:20 pm
- Destination: X60 Williston FL
- Flight plan: none
Weather at the time
- Light: daylight
- Wind: from 160° at 5 knots
- Visibility: 10 statute miles
- Sky: broken clouds at 7,000 ft
- Temperature: 91°F (33°C), dew point 59°F (15°C)
- Altimeter: 29.94 inHg
- Observation at 6:50 pm from OCF, 18 miles away
Injuries
| Fatal | Serious | Minor | None | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Flight crew | 1 | |||
| Passengers | 3 |
Documents from the investigation the NTSB's docket: the evidence folder behind the report
5 documents, released by the NTSB on May 14, 2013. View them here, or download them; the NTSB redacts some personal details before release, and this site shows the NTSB's own titles rather than its file names.
| # | Document | What it is | |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Pilot/operator Aircraft Accident Report, NTSB Form 6120.1 | PDF, 9 pages | View Download |
| 2 | Memorandum for Record - FAA Engine Exam | PDF, 1 page | View Download |
| 3 | Memorandum for Record - Pilot Interview | PDF, 1 page | View Download |
| 4 | Photo 1 - Airplane as It Came to Rest (Courtesy of FAA) | PDF, 1 page | View Download |
| 5 | Photo 2 - Airplane During Recovery (Courtesy of FAA) | PDF, 1 page | View Download |
The same docket at the NTSB · documents without a copy here are fetched from the NTSB when you open them.
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.