Ryan ST3KR accident near St. Lucie, Florida, August 19, 2000
On August 19, 2000 at about 2:58 pm local time, a Ryan ST3KR, registered N54403, was substantially damaged in an accident near St. Lucie, Florida. It was a personal 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 improper judgment to conduct a precautionary landing when he first experienced a partial loss of engine power, and his subsequent failure to maintain a visual lookout during a forced landing resulting in an in-flight collision with a tree. Contributing to the accident was a reported partial loss of engine power for undetermined reasons.
Source: NTSB aviation accident database, copy made October 5, 2026. Docket and reports at the NTSB.
What the record shows
- Date
- August 19, 2000 · about 2:58 pm local time
- Place
- St. Lucie, Florida · map
- Type
- Accident
- Injuries
- No one was hurt; 2 people were on board or involved.
- Weather
- visual conditions (good weather)
- Aircraft
- Ryan ST3KR
- Registration
- N54403 · no longer on the register · serial 1387
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Personal flight · general aviation rules (Part 91)
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
The pilot stated he was in cruise flight at 1,000 feet when he experienced a decrease in engine rpm. He applied carburetor heat and the rpm increased. About 5 minutes later, the engine experienced another decrease in engine rpm. He made a forced landing to a highway and collided with a tree. Examination of the engine assembly could not determine the reported partial loss of engine power.
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
- Ratings: multi-engine land; single-engine land; instrument: airplane; rotorcraft: balloon
- Flight time: 29,600 hours in all; 150 in this make and model; 30 in the last 90 days; 45 in the last 30 days
- Medical certificate: Class 1 (valid medical--w/ waivers/lim.)
- Seat: frt
The aircraft
- Airframe total time: 4,120 hours
- Last inspection: annual inspection, September 10, 1999; 184 hours since
- Maximum gross weight: 1,860 lb
- Seats: 2
- Landing gear: fixed
- Engine: Kinner R-56 (piston); 0 hours total
The flight
- Departed from: FPR Fort Pierce FL at 2:30 pm
- Destination: SUA Stuart FL
- Flight plan: none
- Runway 0
Weather at the time
- Light: daylight
- Wind: from 050° at 9 knots
- Visibility: 10 statute miles
- Sky: clear
- Temperature: 91°F (33°C), dew point 75°F (24°C)
- Altimeter: 30.00 inHg
- Observation at 3:03 pm from SUA, 5 miles away
Injuries
| Fatal | Serious | Minor | None | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Crew | 1 | |||
| 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.
Other NTSB records under N54403 the same tail number, which may have belonged to a different aircraft at the time
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.