Lake LA-4-200 accident near Lake Wales, Florida, April 25, 2006
On April 25, 2006 at about 2:00 pm local time, a Lake LA-4-200, registered N1051L, was substantially damaged in an accident near Lake Wales, Florida (Chalet Suzanne Air Strip airport). It was a personal flight under general aviation rules (Part 91). 2 people had minor injuries. The weather was visual conditions (good weather).
The NTSB's probable cause their words, unchanged
The pilot's failure to abort the takeoff resulting in an overrun of the runway and encounter with terrain.
Source: NTSB aviation accident database, copy made October 5, 2026. Docket and reports at the NTSB.
What the record shows
- Date
- April 25, 2006 · about 2:00 pm local time
- Place
- Lake Wales, Florida · Chalet Suzanne Air Strip · map
- Type
- Accident
- Injuries
- 2 people had minor injuries.
- Weather
- visual conditions (good weather)
- Aircraft
- Lake LA-4-200 · all LA-4-200s on the register
- Registration
- N1051L · no longer on the register · serial 644
- 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 during his arrival to the airport, on the previous day, he noted the center of the runway was sandy and soft due to the drought. Before the departure, he walked a third of the runway to check the surface conditions. He decided to stay off the middle and favor the grassier side of the runway; however, he knew it would be bumpier during the takeoff roll. He elected to depart from runway 18, which is slightly downhill. The breeze was from the west-southwest. He performed a soft field takeoff while staying on the west side of the runway. The takeoff roll was bumpy and noted the airspeed indicator reached 55 mph, the rotation speed was 60 mph. The airplane encountered a bump, the airspeed drop to 50 mph then increased to 55 mph. The airplane encountered another bump and the airspeed dropped to 50 mph and increased again. By this time, the airplane crossed a road located toward the end of the runway, struck a berm, which sheared the nose wheel. The airplane became airborne with insufficient airspeed to fly. The left wing contacted the ground and the airplane spun 180 degrees, skidding backward before coming to a stop. The pilot stated that there were no mechanical failures or malfunctions with 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; single-engine sea
- Flight time: 3,670 hours in all; 2,820 in this make and model; 5 in the last 90 days; 5 in the last 30 days
- Medical certificate: Class 3
The aircraft
- Landing gear: retractable
- Engine: Lycoming IO-360 (piston); 0 hours total
The flight
- Departed from: KX25 Lake Wales FL
- Destination: KBOW Bartow FL
- Flight plan: none
- Runway 18
Weather at the time
- Light: daylight
- Wind: from 250° at 8 knots, gusting 15
- Visibility: 12 statute miles
- Sky: broken clouds at 3,000 ft; scat at 6,000 ft
- Temperature: 90°F (32°C), dew point 57°F (14°C)
- Altimeter: 29.94 inHg
- Observation at 2:50 pm from BOW
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.