Piper PA-28-140 accident near Lake Wales, Florida, April 19, 1982
On April 19, 1982 at about 3:00 pm local time, a Piper PA-28-140, registered N56826, was substantially damaged in an accident near Lake Wales, Florida (Tiger Lake airport). It was a personal flight under general aviation rules (Part 91). No one was hurt; 3 people were on board or involved. The weather was visual conditions (good weather).
The NTSB's probable cause their words, unchanged
The NTSB has not yet published a probable cause for this accident. Investigations usually take one to two years; this page updates when the final report is released.
Source: NTSB aviation accident database, copy made October 5, 2026. Docket and reports at the NTSB.
What the record shows
- Date
- April 19, 1982 · about 3:00 pm local time
- Place
- Lake Wales, Florida · Tiger Lake · map
- Type
- Accident
- Injuries
- No one was hurt; 3 people were on board or involved.
- Weather
- visual conditions (good weather)
- Aircraft
- Piper PA-28-140 · all PA-28-140s on the register
- Registration
- N56826 · no longer on the register · serial 287425047
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Personal flight · general aviation rules (Part 91)
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
DURING TAKEOFF, THREE/FOURTHS OF THE WAY DOWN THE RUNWAY, THE PILOT DECIDED TO ABORT BECAUSE OF A SLOW BUILDUP OF AIRSPEED ON THE WET GRASS. THE AIRCRAFT OVERRAN THE RUNWAY COLLIDING WITH A FENCE AND A TREE.
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: 66 hours in all; 8 in this make and model; 6 in the last 90 days
- Medical certificate: Class 3 (valid medical--no waivers/lim.)
- Seat: unk
The aircraft
- Airframe total time: 2,331 hours
- Last inspection: inspection type not recorded; 200 hours since
- Maximum gross weight: 2,150 lb
- Seats: 4
- Landing gear: fixed
- Engine: Lycoming O-320-E34 (piston); 0 hours total
The flight
- Departed from: Lake Wales FL
- Destination: Orlando FL
- Flight plan: none
- Runway 36, 3,500 ft
Weather at the time
- Light: daylight
- Wind: from 080° at 6 knots
- Visibility: 8 statute miles
- Sky: not recorded; scat at 2,300 ft
- Temperature: 172°F (78°C), dew point 0°F (-18°C)
- Altimeter: 30.00 inHg
- Observation at 9:50 am from LAL, 30 miles away
Injuries
| Fatal | Serious | Minor | None | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Crew | 1 | |||
| Passengers | 2 |
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.