Piper PA-23-160 accident near Lake Worth, Florida, January 22, 2004
On January 22, 2004 at about 4:48 pm local time, a Piper PA-23-160, registered N4293P, was destroyed in an accident near Lake Worth, Florida (Palm Beach County Park airport). It was a personal flight under general aviation rules (Part 91). 2 people were killed. The weather was visual conditions (good weather).
The NTSB's probable cause their words, unchanged
The pilot's inadequate control of the aircraft by his use of an excessive bank angle, and his failure to maintain airspeed which resulted in a stall and a loss of control following a loss of power in one engine. The reason for the loss of the engine power was not determined.
Source: NTSB aviation accident database, copy made October 5, 2026. Docket and reports at the NTSB.
What the record shows
- Date
- January 22, 2004 · about 4:48 pm local time
- Place
- Lake Worth, Florida · Palm Beach County Park · map
- Type
- Accident
- Injuries
- 2 people were killed.
- Weather
- visual conditions (good weather)
- Aircraft
- Piper PA-23-160 · all PA-23-160s on the register
- Registration
- N4293P · no longer on the register · serial 23-1793
- Damage
- Destroyed
- Flight
- Personal flight · general aviation rules (Part 91)
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
The pilot reported shortly after the takeoff from runway 27 that he was returning to land with a lost of power in one of the engines. The airplane subsequently crashed in a residential area, collided with trees, powerlines, and came to rest in the yard of a residence. Witnesses observed the flight fly the downwind leg for runway 27 at 400 feet. The flight then turned on the base leg while descending and then overshot the final leg. While at an altitude of 100-150 feet the flight continued turning toward the runway and the bank angle increased to 50-60 degrees and the nose dropped down.. Recorded radar shows the flight climbed to 3,000 feet while maintaining a southwesterly heading. The flight turned left back to the airport and began a descent from which he entered downwind for runway 27 at an altitude of between 400 and 500 feet, while about 1/4 mile south of the runway, at a groundspeed of between 95 and 105 knots. The flight turned onto base leg at an altitude of about 300 feet, while about 1/2 mile from the arrival end of runway 27, at an approximate groundspeed of between 75 and 80 knots. The last radar contact showed the airplane at an altitude of 82 feet at a groundspeed of 66 knots. The examination of the airplane did not reveal evidence of mechanical malfunction. The Owner's Handbook for the Piper PA23-160 showed that the stall speed for the airplane with wing flaps down and engine power off is 53 knots. Stall speed would increase about 25 percent at a bank angle of 50 degrees and 40 percent at a bank angle of 60 degrees. This would increase stall speed to between 66 and 74 knots at the reported bank angle of 50-60 degrees used by the pilot.
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: multi-engine land; single-engine land; single-engine sea; instrument: airplane
- Flight time: 2,754 hours in all; 2,435 in this make and model; 20 in the last 90 days; 6 in the last 30 days
- Last flight review: April 16, 2002
- Medical certificate: Class 3 (valid medical--w/ waivers/lim.)
- Seat: left
- Injury: fatal
The aircraft
- Airframe total time: 6,334 hours
- Last inspection: annual inspection, December 4, 2003; 19 hours since
- Maximum gross weight: 3,800 lb
- Seats: 5
- Landing gear: retractable
- Engine: Lycoming O-360-A1D (piston); 0 hours total
- Fire on the ground
The flight
- Departed from: LNA Lantana FL at 4:40 pm
- Destination: X01 Everglades City FL
- Flight plan: none
- Runway 9, 3,489 ft by 75 ft
Weather at the time
- Light: daylight
- Wind: from 310° at 6 knots
- Visibility: 10 statute miles
- Sky: a few clouds at 2,500 ft
- Temperature: 72°F (22°C), dew point 57°F (14°C)
- Altimeter: 30.14 inHg
- Observation at 4:53 pm from PBI, 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.
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.