Piper PA-28R-200 accident near Everglades City, Florida, May 16, 2004
On May 16, 2004 at about 6:15 pm local time, a Piper PA-28R-200, registered N33840, was substantially damaged in an accident near Everglades City, Florida (Everglades Airpark airport). It was a personal flight under general aviation rules (Part 91). 4 people were seriously injured. The weather was visual conditions (good weather).
The NTSB's probable cause their words, unchanged
The failure of the pilot to maintain airspeed during climb after takeoff resulting in an inadvertent stall, uncontrolled descent, and impact in a wooded area.
Source: NTSB aviation accident database, copy made October 5, 2026. Docket and reports at the NTSB.
What the record shows
- Date
- May 16, 2004 · about 6:15 pm local time
- Place
- Everglades City, Florida · Everglades Airpark · map
- Type
- Accident
- Injuries
- 4 people were seriously injured.
- Weather
- visual conditions (good weather)
- Aircraft
- Piper PA-28R-200 · all PA-28R-200s on the register
- Registration
- N33840 · no longer on the register · serial 28R-7535205
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Personal flight · general aviation rules (Part 91)
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
The pilot stated that he performed a run-up of the engine prior to departing the airport and found no problems. He said he then back-taxied to runway 15 for departure and during the take-off roll, the engine seemed to be fine. He further stated that at 65-68 knots he rotated but the aircraft did not leave the ground so he let the aircraft accelerate to 75 knots. The pilot says he then pulled back on the yoke, and the aircraft lifted off the runway and torqued to the left which he attempted to counteract by using the right rudder. He said that at this point the engine seemed "diminished" but that it was not sputtering. He said he then lowered the nose and the aircraft began descending at which time he lowered the landing gear. He says he saw a small island of trees and set the aircraft down in the trees. The passenger seated in the right front seat stated that before takeoff the pilot performed an engine check and it was running fine. During the takeoff roll the pilot pulled the aircraft up at about 65 miles per hour. He thought they were lifting off early for they still had over half of the runway left. The pilot pulled the nose up too steep and at about 300 feet the airplane began to stall and the left wing dropped. The pilot tried to gain speed by dropping the nose and leveling off. They did not have enough altitude and the airplane kept dropping and went into the trees. As far as he could tell there was nothing wrong with the airplane. Postcrash examination and testing of the airplane structure and flight control systems, airplane and engine fuel system, engine, propeller, fuel control, propeller governor, and the stall warning system switch showed no evidence of precrash failure or malfunction.
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: 185 hours in all; 78 in this make and model; 33 in the last 90 days; 17 in the last 30 days
- Last flight review: January 20, 2003
- Medical certificate: Class 3 (valid medical--w/ waivers/lim.)
- Seat: left
- Injury: serious injuries
The aircraft
- Airframe total time: 5,481 hours
- Last inspection: annual inspection, April 28, 2004; 5 hours since
- Maximum gross weight: 2,650 lb
- Seats: 4
- Landing gear: retractable
- Engine: Lycoming IO-360-C1C (piston); 0 hours total
The flight
- Departed from: X01 Everglades City FL at 6:15 pm
- Destination: TPF Tampa FL
- Flight plan: none
- Runway 15, 2,400 ft by 60 ft
Weather at the time
- Light: daylight
- Wind: from 100° at 12 knots
- Visibility: 10 statute miles
- Sky: a few clouds at 4,200 ft
- Temperature: 86°F (30°C), dew point 68°F (20°C)
- Altimeter: 30.12 inHg
- Observation at 5:53 pm from KAPF, 30 miles away
Injuries
| Fatal | Serious | Minor | None | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Crew | 1 | |||
| Passengers | 3 |
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.