Piper PA-24-260 accident near Kathleen, Florida, November 28, 1983
On November 28, 1983 at about 9:45 pm local time, a Piper PA-24-260, registered N9094P, was destroyed in an accident near Kathleen, Florida. It was a personal flight under general aviation rules (Part 91). 2 people were killed. 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
- November 28, 1983 · about 9:45 pm local time
- Place
- Kathleen, Florida · map
- Type
- Accident
- Injuries
- 2 people were killed.
- Weather
- visual conditions (good weather)
- Aircraft
- Piper PA-24-260 · all PA-24-260s on the register
- Registration
- N9094P · no longer on the register · serial 24-4569
- Damage
- Destroyed
- Flight
- Personal flight · general aviation rules (Part 91)
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
THE ACFT IMPACTED IN A SWAMPY AREA IN A FAST DIVE WHICH SEPARATED ABOUT 6 FT OF THE LEFT WING. THE ACFT WAS BEING VECTORED ON RADAR WHEN IT SUDDENLY BEGAN TO STEER ERRATICALLY AND GO OFF THE RADAR SCOPE. THE PLT HAD RADIOED THAT HE 'MUST HAVE GONE OVER SOME ELECTRONIC INTERFERENCE THAT TUMBLED MY GYROS AND SCREWED UP MY COMPASS'. HIS INSTRUMENTS WERE NOT ELECTRONIC BUT VACUUM OPERATED FROM THE ENGINE DRIVEN PUMP. DISASSEMBLY OF THE PUMP AFTER THE ACCIDENT SHOWED NO EVIDENCE OF PREIMPACT FAILURE. THE FORECAST FOR THE AREA WAS 2000 TO 3000 BROKEN WITH OVERCAST OCCASIONALLY BELOW 1000 FT WITH RAIN SHOWERS AND FOG. THE LAKELAND, FL 1650 WX OBSERVATION REPORTED RAIN SHOWERS NORTH. LAKELAND IS 10 MI SOUTH OF THE CRASH SITE.
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: 1,395 hours in all; 25 in this make and model; 25 in the last 90 days; 25 in the last 30 days
- Medical certificate: Class 3 (valid medical--w/ waivers/lim.)
- Seat: left
The aircraft
- Airframe total time: 2,875 hours
- Last inspection: annual inspection, October 26, 1983; 31 hours since
- Maximum gross weight: 3,100 lb
- Seats: 4
- Landing gear: retractable
- Engine: Lycoming IO-540-D4A5 (piston); 0 hours total
The flight
- Departed from: DAL Dallas TX at 4:21 pm
- Destination: GIF Winter Haven FL
- Flight plan: not recorded
- Runway 0
Weather at the time
- Light: daylight
- Wind: from 240° at 6 knots
- Sky: broken clouds at 2,500 ft; scat at 1,000 ft
- Temperature: 72°F (22°C), dew point 70°F (21°C)
- Observation at 8:50 pm from LAL, 16 miles away
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.
Other NTSB records under N9094P 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.