Piper PA-32-260 accident near Dunnellon, Florida, April 14, 2006
On April 14, 2006 at about 9:14 pm local time, a Piper PA-32-260, registered N592PR, was destroyed in an accident near Dunnellon, Florida (Dunnellon airport). It was a personal flight under general aviation rules (Part 91). 1 person was seriously injured and 2 people had minor injuries. The weather was visual conditions (good weather).
The NTSB's probable cause their words, unchanged
The loss of engine power as a result of fuel starvation due to a contaminated carburetor fuel inlet screen.
Source: NTSB aviation accident database, copy made October 5, 2026. Docket and reports at the NTSB.
What the record shows
- Date
- April 14, 2006 · about 9:14 pm local time
- Place
- Dunnellon, Florida · Dunnellon · map
- Type
- Accident
- Injuries
- 1 person was seriously injured and 2 people had minor injuries.
- Weather
- visual conditions (good weather)
- Aircraft
- Piper PA-32-260 · all PA-32-260s on the register
- Registration
- N592PR · no longer on the register · serial 32-289
- Damage
- Destroyed
- Flight
- Personal flight · general aviation rules (Part 91)
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
During the initial climb after takeoff, engine power reduced to idle, and the airplane started losing altitude immediately. The pilot maneuvered the airplane to avoid trees, and the airplane impacted the ground and slid to a stop. A post-crash fire erupted, and the pilot and passengers exited the airplane. The majority of the airframe was consumed by the post-crash fire. During examination of the engine, the carburetor inlet screen was removed and found to be contaminated with a large amount of debris. The contamination was removed from the screen and determined to be an accumulation of small ferrous particles. The fuel screens in the fuel selector valve and in the fuel tanks were examined, and no debris was found. A sample of the material found in the carburetor inlet screen was sent to an outside laboratory to compare the composition of the residue to a sample of the insulation from the hose supplying fuel to the carburetor. The laboratory found that the debris inside the carburetor did not match the insulation material. The source of the debris was not identified.
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: 328 hours in all; 82 in this make and model; 296 as pilot in command
- Last flight review: February 1, 2005
- Medical certificate: Class 3 (with waivers/limitations)
- Seat: left
- Injury: minor injuries
The aircraft
- Airframe total time: 7,263 hours
- Last inspection: annual inspection, May 1, 2005
- Maximum gross weight: 3,400 lb
- Seats: 6
- Landing gear: fixed
- Engine: Lycoming O-540-E4B5 (piston); 0 hours total
- Fire on the ground
The flight
- Departed from: X35 Dunnellon FL at 9:14 pm
- Destination: CGC Crystal River FL
- Flight plan: none
- Runway 23, 4,941 ft by 100 ft
Weather at the time
- Light: daylight
- Wind: from 350° at 6 knots
- Visibility: 10 statute miles
- Sky: clear
- Temperature: 84°F (29°C), dew point 52°F (11°C)
- Altimeter: 30.02 inHg
- Observation at 9:55 pm from OCF, 11 miles away
Injuries
| Fatal | Serious | Minor | None | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Crew | 1 | |||
| Passengers | 1 | 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.