Piper J5A accident near Tampa, Florida, April 22, 1982
On April 22, 1982 at about 9:15 pm local time, a Piper J5A, registered N41141, was substantially damaged in an accident near Tampa, Florida (Vandenberg airport). It was a personal flight under general aviation rules (Part 91). No one was hurt; 1 person was 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 22, 1982 · about 9:15 pm local time
- Place
- Tampa, Florida · Vandenberg · map
- Type
- Accident
- Injuries
- No one was hurt; 1 person was on board or involved.
- Weather
- visual conditions (good weather)
- Aircraft
- Piper J5A · all J5As on the register
- Registration
- N41141 · registry record · serial 5 1314
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Personal flight · general aviation rules (Part 91)
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
THE PILOT REPORTED THAT THE ENGINE MALFUNCTIONED WHILE HE WAS ON A VFR FLIGHT. HE STATED THAT HE APPLIED CARBURETOR HEAT AS WELL AS OTHER MEASURES TO RESTORE POWER. THE MALFUNCTION PERSISTED, AND THE PLANE WAS SUBSTANTIALLY DAMAGED DURING A FORCED LANDING ABOUT ONE MILE FROM THE DESTINATION AIRPORT. AN EXAMINATION OF THE ENGINE REVEALED NO EVIDENCE OF A MECHANICAL MALFUNCTION OF FAILURE BEFORE THE FORCED LANDING. THE PILOT STATED THAT HE HAD 7.5 GALLONS OF FUEL IN THE HEADER FUEL TANK WHEN HE DEPARTED PLANT CITY, FLORIDA. THE ACCIDENT OCCURRED ABOUT 15 MINUTES AFTER TAKEOFF.
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: 90 hours in all; 90 in this make and model; 4 in the last 90 days
- Medical certificate: Class 3 (valid medical--no waivers/lim.)
- Seat: unk
The aircraft
- Airframe total time: 2,451 hours
- Last inspection: inspection type not recorded; 19 hours since
- Maximum gross weight: 1,450 lb
- Seats: 2
- Landing gear: fixed
- Engine: Continental A-75 (piston); 0 hours total
The flight
- Departed from: Plant City FL
- Destination: Tampa FL
- Flight plan: none
- Runway 0
Weather at the time
- Light: daylight
- Wind: from 280° at 9 knots
- Visibility: 15 statute miles
- Sky: broken clouds at 25,000 ft; scat at 14,000 ft
- Temperature: 187°F (86°C), dew point 0°F (-18°C)
- Altimeter: 30.00 inHg
- Observation at 3:53 pm from TPA, 10 miles away
Injuries
| Fatal | Serious | Minor | None | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Crew | 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.
Other NTSB records under N41141 the same tail number, which may have belonged to a different aircraft at the time
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.