Piper PA-28-181 accident near Zolfo Springs, Florida, October 31, 2000
On October 31, 2000 at about 7:06 pm local time, a Piper PA-28-181, registered N8603E, was substantially damaged in an accident near Zolfo Springs, Florida. It was a personal flight under general aviation rules (Part 91). 1 person was killed. The weather was visual conditions (good weather).
The NTSB's probable cause their words, unchanged
The loss of engine power for undetermined reasons, which resulted in the pilot executing a forced landing to an open field, and the aircraft subsequently impacting a tree during the landing rollout.
Source: NTSB aviation accident database, copy made October 5, 2026. Docket and reports at the NTSB.
What the record shows
- Date
- October 31, 2000 · about 7:06 pm local time
- Place
- Zolfo Springs, Florida · map
- Type
- Accident
- Injuries
- 1 person was killed.
- Weather
- visual conditions (good weather)
- Aircraft
- Piper PA-28-181 · all PA-28-181s on the register
- Registration
- N8603E · no longer on the register · serial 28-7690179
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Personal flight · general aviation rules (Part 91)
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
According to a controller at Bartow Municipal Airport's Air Traffic Control Tower, the pilot had been in radio communications contact with the tower, and at 1404, he made a transmission stating, "Bartow Tower N8603E, 26 south my engine quit and I can see Wauchula Airport but I can't make it." According to the controller, the pilot further indicated that he was going to attempt a forced landing in an open field. The controller stated that he then declared an emergency for the pilot of N8603E, notifying Hardee County Emergency Services. At 1536,deputies with the Hardee County Sheriff's Office discovered the accident aircraft at the southern edge of the pasture, with about 0.5 miles of open, flat pasture behind the apparent touchdown point. The aircraft had incurred substantial damage, and pilot was fatally injured. There were no witnesses to the accident. During the landing rollout, the aircraft had impacted a tree with the left wing, and had continued on, impacting another tree at the propeller's spinner. After recovery from the pasture, the airframe, flight controls, and engine were given detailed examinations, and the engine was operated. No anomalies were found with the accident aircraft's airframe, flight controls, or engine.
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: commercial pilot
- Ratings: multi-engine land; single-engine land; instrument: airplane
- Flight time: 2,163 hours in all; 9 in the last 90 days; 3 in the last 30 days
- Last flight review: February 4, 2000
- Medical certificate: Class 2 (valid medical--w/ waivers/lim.)
- Seat: left
- Injury: fatal
The aircraft
- Airframe total time: 2,137.4 hours
- Last inspection: annual inspection, October 29, 2000; 2 hours since
- Maximum gross weight: 2,550 lb
- Seats: 4
- Landing gear: fixed
- Engine: Textron Lyc. O-360-A4M (piston); 0 hours total
The flight
- Departed from: BOW Bartow FL at 6:49 pm
- Destination: FD06 Wauchula FL
- Flight plan: none
Weather at the time
- Light: daylight
- Wind: at 6 knots
- Visibility: 15 statute miles
- Sky: clear
- Temperature: 81°F (27°C), dew point 57°F (14°C)
- Altimeter: 30.00 inHg
- Observation at 6:53 pm from BOW, 26 miles away
Injuries
| Fatal | Serious | Minor | None | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 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.