Piper PA-18-150 accident near Winter Haven, Florida, March 29, 2025
On March 29, 2025 at about 3:50 pm local time, a 1967 Piper PA-18-150, registered N38BS, was substantially damaged in an accident during initial climb near Winter Haven, Florida (Jack Browns Seaplane Base airport). It was an instructional flight under general aviation rules (Part 91). No one was hurt; 2 people were on board or involved. The weather was visual conditions (good weather).
The NTSB's probable cause their words, unchanged
The pilot’s inadvertent movement of the fuel selector to a position that restricted fuel flow to the engine, which resulted in the loss of engine power during takeoff.
Source: NTSB aviation accident database, copy made October 5, 2026. Docket and reports at the NTSB.
What the record shows
- Date
- March 29, 2025 · about 3:50 pm local time
- Place
- Winter Haven, Florida · Jack Browns Seaplane Base · map
- Type
- Accident
- Injuries
- No one was hurt; 2 people were on board or involved.
- Weather
- visual conditions (good weather)
- Aircraft
- Piper PA-18-150, built 1967 · all PA-18-150s on the register
- Registration
- N38BS · registry record · serial 18-8505
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Instructional flight · general aviation rules (Part 91)
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
During an instructional flight, the flight instructor and pilot receiving instruction took off from a lake and began a normal climb. At a height of about 200 to 300 feet, the engine began losing power, and the flight instructor assumed control of the airplane. As the instructor maneuvered the airplane away from marine traffic, the engine lost power completely. The airplane contacted the water hard, resulting in substantial damage to the left wing strut and fuselage. Postaccident examination of the airplane revealed that the fuel selector was not in the right fuel tank detent. The examination otherwise revealed no evidence of any preimpact mechanical malfunctions or failures of the engine or fuel system that would have precluded normal operation. The engine was later started and test run normally with the right fuel tank selected, and when the valve was positioned slightly out of the right fuel tank detent, the engine began losing power within about 30 seconds. Given this information, it is likely that the pilot inadvertently moved the fuel selector in a position that restricted fuel flow to the engine, which resulted in the loss of engine power during takeoff.
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
- Fuel starvation during initial climb defining event
- Loss of engine power (total) during initial climb
- Hard landing during landing (flare/touchdown)
The NTSB's findings
- Personnel issues › Task performance › Use of equip/info › Use of equip/system › Student/instructed pilot
- Aircraft › Aircraft systems › Fuel system › Fuel selector/shutoff valve › Incorrect use/operation
Pilot
- Certificate: flight instructor, commercial pilot
- Ratings: multi-engine land; single-engine land; single-engine sea; instructor: airplane multi-engine; instructor: airplane single-engine; instrument: airplane
- Flight time: 523.5 hours in all; 112.2 in this make and model; 128.1 in the last 90 days; 44.8 in the last 30 days; 451 as pilot in command; 155.8 on instruments
- Last flight review: November 23, 2024
- Medical certificate: Class 1 (without waivers/limitations)
- Seat: rear
- Injury: no injuries
Pilot
- Certificate: commercial pilot, private
- Ratings: single-engine land; instrument: airplane; rotorcraft: helicopter
- Flight time: 464.1 hours in all; 7 in this make and model; 90 in the last 90 days; 26.1 in the last 30 days; 270.5 as pilot in command
- Last flight review: April 15, 2024
- Medical certificate: Class 1 (waiver time limited special)
- Seat: frt
- Injury: no injuries
The aircraft
- Airframe total time: 7,233.8 hours
- Last inspection: 100-hour inspection, March 5, 2025; 47 hours since
- Maximum gross weight: 2,000 lb
- Seats: 2
- Landing gear: fixed
- Engine: Lycoming O-320-D2A (piston); 2,648 hours total
- Operator: Jack Browns Seaplane Base INC
The flight
- Flight plan: none
- Runway 19W, 3,600 ft by 2,200 ft
- A second pilot was aboard
Weather at the time
- Light: daylight
- Wind: from 130° at 10 knots
- Visibility: 10 statute miles
- Sky: a few clouds at 4,400 ft
- Temperature: 82°F (28°C), dew point 61°F (16°C)
- Altimeter: 30.18 inHg
- Observation at 12:53 pm from GIF
Weather report (METAR): KGIF 291653Z AUTO 13010KT 100V160 10SM FEW044 28/16 A3018 RMK AO1 SLP218 T02780161
Injuries
| Fatal | Serious | Minor | None | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Flight crew | 2 |
Photographs from the investigation 3 pictures from the NTSB's docket, as the NTSB released them
Photograph 1 – Airplane postaccident with damaged wing struts
Photograph 2 – Wing strut accident damage
Photograph 3 – Wing strut attach fitting accident damageThe NTSB's photographs with the NTSB's captions, at screen size. Open a picture to see it full size or to report one that should not be shown.
Documents from the investigation the NTSB's docket: the evidence folder behind the report
6 documents, released by the NTSB on November 6, 2025. 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, 10 pages | View Download |
| 2 | Pilot Receiving Instruction Statement | PDF, 1 page | View Download |
| 3 | Memorandum for Record A�� Flight Instructor | PDF, 3 pages | View Download |
| 4 | FAA Inspector's Statement | PDF, 2 pages | View Download |
| 5 | Investigation Photographs | PDF, 4 pages · our copy | View Download |
| 6 | Mechanics Statement | 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.