Amateur-built RV-6A accident near Sanford, Florida, January 16, 2005
On January 16, 2005 at about 11:45 pm local time, a amateur-built RV-6A, registered N654PJ, was substantially damaged in an accident near Sanford, Florida (Orlando Sanford International 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).
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The NTSB's probable cause their words, unchanged
The pilots failure to use carburetor heat in conditions conducive to carburetor icing which resulted in loss of engine power and collision with trees and ground during the resultant forced landing.
Source: NTSB aviation accident database, copy made October 4, 2026. Docket and reports at the NTSB.
What the record shows
- Date
- January 16, 2005 · about 11:45 pm local time
- Place
- Sanford, Florida · Orlando Sanford International · map
- Type
- Accident
- Injuries
- No one was hurt; 2 people were on board or involved.
- Weather
- visual conditions (good weather)
- Aircraft
- Amateur-built RV-6A
- Registration
- N654PJ · registry record · serial 60308
- 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 when he was approximately 10 miles out from Sanford he completed the landing checklist but, because of air traffic control (ATC) vectoring and changing of airspeed, he left the carburetor heat cold. At 5 miles out from Sanford he decreased airspeed to 80 miles per hour, lowered the flaps, trimmed the airplane and flew the ILS approach to runway 27R, but does not recall using carburetor heat. He had the runway insight at 1/3 miles and with an altitude of 200 feet, he says the engine sputtered several times and then lost power. He switched to the right fuel tank with no response. He advised ATC that the engine was out and he was going to land short of runway 27R. He continued to control the airplane until the airplane hit a treetop that spun the airplane 180 degrees clockwise. The airplane came to rest on its landing gear between a row of trees. The passenger and himself exited the airplane, and immediately found rescue crews on-scene. An employee from the engine manufacturer of the accident airplane, who assisted the FAA during the postaccident investigation observed the fuel system was compromised, but a residual amount of fuel was found in the fuel supply lines to the engine. The fuel gasolator was checked and found clean. The fuel system lines were disconnected and contained clean blue aviation fuel. The inlet screen to the carburetor was clean. The fuel pump produced fuel flow when the engine was rotated. No stains were observed to indicate leaks from the engine. Further examination of the engine revealed no mechanical anomalies that would have prevented the engine from developing power prior to the accident. The responding FAA accident inspector stated the airplane incurred substantial damage when it collided with trees when it landed short of runway 27R. The engine inspection conducted by the engine manufacturer revealed no problems to be associated with the engine. A weather report from the National Whether Service Office showed conditions around the Sanford area at the time of the accident to be conducive to carburetor icing. The pilot stated he did not turn on the carburetor heat during the landing approach.
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
What happened, in order
- LOSS OF ENGINE POWER(TOTAL) - NONMECHANICAL during approach - vfr pattern - final approach
- FORCED LANDING during emergency descent/landing
- IN FLIGHT COLLISION WITH OBJECT during emergency descent/landing
- IN FLIGHT COLLISION WITH TERRAIN/WATER during descent - uncontrolled
Pilot
- Ratings: single-engine land, none, none, none
- Flight time: 470 hours in all; 253 in this make and model; 112 in the last 90 days; 22 in the last 30 days
- Last flight review: May 24, 2003
- Medical certificate: class 3
- Injury: no injuries
Co-pilot
- Ratings: single-engine land, none, none, none
- Flight time: 336 hours in all; 206 as pilot in command
- Last flight review: May 21, 2001
- Medical certificate: class 3
- Injury: no injuries
The aircraft
- Airframe total time: 253.1 hours
- Last inspection: type not recorded, December 1, 2004; 33 hours since
- Maximum gross weight: 1,650 lb
- Seats: 2
- Landing gear: fixed
- Engine: Textron Lycoming O-360-A1A (piston); 0 hours total
- Operating certificate: in the vicinity
The flight
- Departed from: KLAL Lakeland FL at 11:15 pm
- Destination: KSFB Sanford FL
- Flight plan: none
- Runway 27R, 9,600 ft by 150 ft
- A second pilot was aboard
Weather at the time
- Light: daylight
- Wind: from 110° at 6 knots
- Visibility: 10 statute miles
- Sky: clear
- Temperature: 59°C, dew point 54°C
- Altimeter: 30.200001 inHg
- Observation at 11:53 pm from SFB
Injuries
| Fatal | Serious | Minor | None | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Crew | 1 | |||
| Passengers | 1 |
About this page
Everything above comes from the NTSB's public accident database: the narrative, probable cause and findings are the NTSB's own words, and the coded tables behind its report (pilot, aircraft, flight, weather, injuries, sequence of events) are written out in plain English. Pilots' ages, home towns and medical details are left out on purpose. The docket at the NTSB holds the report as a PDF and the investigation's photographs and documents. This site never names pilots, passengers or anyone else involved. A preliminary report describes what is known soon after the event and can change; the final report, with the probable cause, usually follows one to two years later and this page is refreshed when it does. Case number MIA05LA052.