Cessna 340 accident near St. Petersburg-Clearwater, Florida, May 23, 2022
On May 23, 2022 at about 5:33 pm local time, a 1973 Cessna 340, registered N47BP, was substantially damaged in an accident during landing (landing roll) near St. Petersburg-Clearwater, Florida (St Pete - Clearwater 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
The pilot’s inability to stop the airplane on the available runway, which resulted in a runway excursion and collision with an airport perimeter fence.
Source: NTSB aviation accident database, copy made October 5, 2026. Docket and reports at the NTSB.
What the record shows
- Date
- May 23, 2022 · about 5:33 pm local time
- Place
- St. Petersburg-Clearwater, Florida · St Pete - Clearwater · map
- Type
- Accident
- Injuries
- No one was hurt; 1 person was on board or involved.
- Weather
- visual conditions (good weather)
- Aircraft
- Cessna 340, built 1973 · all 340s on the register
- Registration
- N47BP · no longer on the register · serial 340-0223
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Personal flight · general aviation rules (Part 91)
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
The pilot said that before he departed, he tested the airplane’s brakes and they functioned normally. He then departed, made one circuit in the traffic pattern, and landed about 500 to 1,000 ft beyond the first intersection located at the approach end of the 9,730-ft-long runway. The pilot said the brakes were not working during the landing roll-out and he was unable to stop or slow on the remaining runway. The pilot veered the airplane off the left side of the runway, traveled another 1,800 ft and impacted the airport’s perimeter fence resulting in substantial damage to the airplane’s fuselage. A postaccident examination of the airplane’s brakes revealed no evidence of any preimpact mechanical malfunctions or failures that would have precluded normal operation at the time of the accident.
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
- Collision with terrain or object (not controlled flight into terrain) during landing (landing roll) defining event
- Runway excursion during landing (landing roll)
The NTSB's findings
- Aircraft › Aircraft oper/perf/capability › Performance/control parameters › Surface speed/braking › Not attained/maintained
- Personnel issues › Task performance › Use of equip/info › Aircraft control › Pilot
Pilot
- Certificate: private
- Ratings: multi-engine land; single-engine land; instrument: airplane
- Flight time: 2,002 hours in all; 460 in this make and model
- Last flight review: March 24, 2022
- Medical certificate: Class 3 (with waivers/limitations)
- Seat: left
- Injury: no injuries
The aircraft
- Airframe total time: 2,719 hours
- Last inspection: annual inspection, May 23, 2022
- Maximum gross weight: 5,990 lb
- Seats: 5
- Landing gear: fixed
- Engine 1: Continental TSIO-520-NB (piston); 2,810 hours total
- Engine 2: Continental TSIO-520-NB (piston); 2,806 hours total
- Operator: Lakeside Aviation INC
The flight
- Flight plan: none
- Runway 18, 9,730 ft by 150 ft
Weather at the time
- Light: daylight
- Wind: from 120° at 6 knots
- Visibility: 10 statute miles
- Sky: scat at 4,100 ft
- Temperature: 90°F (32°C), dew point 66°F (19°C)
- Altimeter: 30.09 inHg
- Observation at 1:27 pm from KCLW, 6 miles away
Weather report (METAR): METAR KCLW 231735Z AUTO 12006KT 080V160 10SM SCT041 SCT050 SCT065 32/19 A3009
Injuries
| Fatal | Serious | Minor | None | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Flight crew | 1 |
Documents from the investigation the NTSB's docket: the evidence folder behind the report
5 documents, released by the NTSB on October 27, 2022. 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 | NTSB Summary of Email - Pilot | PDF, 1 page | View Download |
| 3 | Photos | PDF, 2 pages | View Download |
| 4 | NTSB Summary of Email with FAA | PDF, 1 page | View Download |
| 5 | NTSB Summary of Email - Pie Airport Supervisor | 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.