Piper PA28 accident near Cedar Key, Florida, March 14, 2018
On March 14, 2018 at about 4:00 pm local time, a 1976 Piper PA28, registered N1004H, was substantially damaged in an accident during landing (landing roll) near Cedar Key, Florida (George T Lewis 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 unstabilized approach, which resulted in a long landing and subsequent runway overrun.
Source: NTSB aviation accident database, copy made October 5, 2026. Docket and reports at the NTSB.
What the record shows
- Date
- March 14, 2018 · about 4:00 pm local time
- Place
- Cedar Key, Florida · George T Lewis · map
- Type
- Accident
- Injuries
- No one was hurt; 1 person was on board or involved.
- Weather
- visual conditions (good weather)
- Aircraft
- Piper PA28 151, built 1976 · all PA28s on the register
- Registration
- N1004H · registry record · serial 28-7715301
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Personal flight · general aviation rules (Part 91)
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
According to the operator, the airplane exited the departure end of the runway and collided with a drainage culvert. The pilot later reported that "the wind sock gave faulty information" during landing. The airplane sustained substantial damage to the engine mounts. The METAR at the nearest airport reported that, about the time of the accident, the wind was from 310° at 5 knots. The pilot landed the airplane on runway 5. The runway length was 2,355 ft. According to the manufacturer's Pilot's Operating Handbook, the normal landing distance is 595 ft. The operator reported that there were no mechanical malfunctions or failures with the airplane that would have precluded normal operation.
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
- Runway excursion during landing (landing roll) defining event
- Collision during takeoff/land during landing (landing roll)
The NTSB's findings
- cause Aircraft › Aircraft oper/perf/capability › Aircraft capability › Landing distance › Capability exceeded
- cause Aircraft › Aircraft oper/perf/capability › Performance/control parameters › Descent/approach/glide path › Not attained/maintained
- Environmental issues › Physical environment › Object/animal/substance › (general) › Contributed to outcome
Pilot
- Certificate: private
- Ratings: single-engine land
- Flight time: 227 hours in all; 50 in this make and model; 24 in the last 90 days; 16 in the last 30 days
- Last flight review: March 10, 2018
- Medical certificate: Class 1 (without waivers/limitations)
- Seat: left
- Injury: no injuries
The aircraft
- Last inspection: annual inspection
- Maximum gross weight: 2,326 lb
- Seats: 4
- Landing gear: fixed
- Engine: Lycoming O-320 (piston); 0 hours total
- Operator: Smtm Holdings INC.
The flight
- Departed from: X50 Edgewater FL at 1:15 pm
- Destination: CDK Cedar Key FL
- Flight plan: none
- Runway 05, 2,355 ft by 100 ft
Weather at the time
- Light: daylight
- Wind: from 310° at 5 knots
- Visibility: 10 statute miles
- Sky: clear
- Temperature: 61°F (16°C), dew point 28°F (-2°C)
- Altimeter: 30.17 inHg
- Observation at 4:15 pm from KCGC, 30 miles away
Injuries
| Fatal | Serious | Minor | None | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Flight crew | 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.