Piper PA-28-140 accident near Lake Wales, Florida, June 7, 2004
On June 7, 2004 at about 2:00 pm local time, a Piper PA-28-140, registered N41916, was substantially damaged in an accident near Lake Wales, Florida (Chalet Suzanne airport). 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 delay in aborting the takeoff resulting in an overrun of the runway and subsequent impact with water. A finding in the accident was the pilot's failure to extend the flaps to the second notch (25 degrees).
Source: NTSB aviation accident database, copy made October 5, 2026. Docket and reports at the NTSB.
What the record shows
- Date
- June 7, 2004 · about 2:00 pm local time
- Place
- Lake Wales, Florida · Chalet Suzanne · map
- Type
- Accident
- Injuries
- No one was hurt; 2 people were on board or involved.
- Weather
- visual conditions (good weather)
- Aircraft
- Piper PA-28-140 · all PA-28-140s on the register
- Registration
- N41916 · no longer on the register · serial 287425296
- 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 positioned the airplane at the beginning of runway 36 for a soft-field takeoff noting the turf runway was wet; however, he failed to extend the flaps to the 25 degree setting (2nd notch). He selected an abort point halfway down the runway, advanced power for takeoff and pulled back on the yoke. The takeoff roll was progressing but the airplane was not accelerating sufficiently for takeoff. He lowered the nose to gain additional speed for the takeoff. He noticed the airplane had passed the abort point and aborted the takeoff. At that point he judged the remaining runway inadequate for stopping and advanced the throttle to full power. The airplane became airborne but did not climb when it reached the steep down slope departure end of the runway just before the lake. The airplane contacted the lake coming to rest 15 feet into the lake in about 5 feet of water at an azimuth heading of 180 degrees. He and the passenger exited the airplane without assistance. The pilot stated there were no mechanical failures or malfunctions to the airplane or any of its systems prior to 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
Pilot
- Certificate: private
- Ratings: single-engine land
- Flight time: 277 hours in all; 3 in this make and model; 9 in the last 90 days; 5 in the last 30 days
- Medical certificate: Class 3
- Injury: no injuries
The aircraft
- Airframe total time: 3,698.9 hours
- Last inspection: 100-hour inspection, May 18, 2004; 5.6 hours since
- Seats: 4
- Landing gear: fixed
- Engine: Lycoming O-320-E3D (piston); 0 hours total
The flight
- Departed from: KX25 Lake Wales FL
- Destination: KTIX Titusville FL
- Flight plan: none
- Runway 36
Weather at the time
- Light: daylight
- Wind: at 3 knots
- Sky: broken clouds at 2,500 ft
- Temperature: 79°F (26°C), dew point 70°F (21°C)
- Altimeter: 30.12 inHg
- Observation at 1:51 pm from KBOW, 9 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.
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.