Piper PA-28-140 accident near Tampa, Florida, July 27, 1982
On July 27, 1982 at about 9:15 pm local time, a Piper PA-28-140, registered N553PA, was substantially damaged in an accident near Tampa, Florida (Vandenberg airport). It was a business flight under general aviation rules (Part 91). 1 person had minor injuries; 2 others were unhurt. 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
- July 27, 1982 · about 9:15 pm local time
- Place
- Tampa, Florida · Vandenberg
- Type
- Accident
- Injuries
- 1 person had minor injuries; 2 others were unhurt.
- Weather
- visual conditions (good weather)
- Aircraft
- Piper PA-28-140 · all PA-28-140s on the register
- Registration
- N553PA · registry record · serial 28-7225474
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Business flight · general aviation rules (Part 91)
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
AFTER LANDING LONG THE PLT REALIZED THAT THE ACFT COULD NOT BE STOPPED ON THE RWY REMAINING & APPLIED POWER FOR A GO-AROUND. HE THEN BECAME AWARE THAT THE ACFT WOULD NOT CLEAR OBSTRUCTIONS BEYOND THE RWY END & ABORTED THE GO-AROUND ATTEMPT. THE ACFT CAME TO REST IN A DITCH BEYOND THE END OF THE RWY.
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: flight instructor, commercial pilot
- Ratings: multi-engine land; single-engine land; instructor: airplane multi-engine; instructor: airplane single-engine; instrument: airplane
- Flight time: 1,505 hours in all; 129 in this make and model; 193 in the last 90 days; 1,370 as pilot in command
- Medical certificate: Class 1 (valid medical--no waivers/lim.)
- Seat: unk
The aircraft
- Airframe total time: 2,300 hours
- Last inspection: inspection type not recorded; 59 hours since
- Maximum gross weight: 2,150 lb
- Seats: 4
- Landing gear: fixed
- Engine: Lycoming O-320 (piston); 0 hours total
- Operator: American Medical Clinics, INC.
The flight
- Departed from: CLW Clearwater FL at 4:55 pm
- Destination: RKP Rockport TX
- Flight plan: none
- Runway 18, 3,260 ft by 65 ft
- A second pilot was aboard
Weather at the time
- Light: daylight
- Wind: from 130° at 12 knots
- Visibility: 7 statute miles
- Sky: broken clouds at 5,000 ft; scat at 4,000 ft
- Temperature: 190°F (88°C), dew point 0°F (-18°C)
Injuries
| Fatal | Serious | Minor | None | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Crew | 1 | 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.