Consolidated Aeronautics Inc. LAKE LA-4-200 accident near Auburndale, Florida, February 19, 1986
On February 19, 1986 at about 5:45 pm local time, a Consolidated Aeronautics Inc. LAKE LA-4-200, registered N6221V, was destroyed in an accident near Auburndale, Florida. It was a personal flight under general aviation rules (Part 91). 1 person was seriously injured. 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
- February 19, 1986 · about 5:45 pm local time
- Place
- Auburndale, Florida · map
- Type
- Accident
- Injuries
- 1 person was seriously injured.
- Weather
- visual conditions (good weather)
- Aircraft
- Consolidated Aeronautics Inc. LAKE LA-4-200 LAKE LA-4- · all LAKE LA-4-200s on the register
- Registration
- N6221V · no longer on the register · serial 858
- Damage
- Destroyed
- Flight
- Personal flight · general aviation rules (Part 91)
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
THE PLT STATED THAT JUST AFTER PASSING LAKELAND, FL, HIS ENG RPM BEGAN TO FLUCTUATE. HE SELECTED HIS AUX FUEL TANKS BUT THE RPM CONTINUED TO DETERIORATE. HE ELECTED TO MAKE HIS FORCED LANDING ON A SMALL LAKE BUT NOT HAVING ENOUGH ALT TO TURN & LAND INTO THE WIND, LANDED DOWNWIND. UPON TOUCHDOWN THE ACFT FLIPPED OVER & SANK IN APRX 14 FT OF WATER. THE ENG WAS PLACED IN A TEST STAND & IT RAN WITH NO DISCREPANCIES NOTED. DUE TO THE ACFT BEING IMMERSED IN WATER THE POSSIBILITY OF WATER IN THE FUEL OR FUEL CONTAMINATION COULD NOT BE DETERMINED. THEREFORE THE NATURE OF THE ENG MALFUNCTION COULD NOT BE DETERMINED AS DESCRIBED BY THE PLT.
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: commercial pilot
- Ratings: single-engine land; instrument: airplane
- Flight time: 3,561 hours in all; 25 in this make and model; 13 in the last 90 days; 2,843 as pilot in command
- Medical certificate: Class 2 (valid medical--w/ waivers/lim.)
- Seat: left
The aircraft
- Airframe total time: 273 hours
- Last inspection: annual inspection, January 17, 1986; 12 hours since
- Maximum gross weight: 2,690 lb
- Seats: 4
- Landing gear: fixed
- Engine: Lycoming IO-360-A1B (piston); 0 hours total
- Operator: Worth Financing & Leasing INC.
The flight
- Departed from: SPG St. Petersburg FL at 5:15 pm
- Destination: GIF Winter Haven FL
- Flight plan: none
- Runway 0
Weather at the time
- Light: daylight
- Wind: from 240° at 7 knots
- Visibility: 15 statute miles
- Sky: scat at 24,000 ft
- Temperature: 79°F (26°C), dew point 64°F (18°C)
- Altimeter: 29.00 inHg
- Observation at 5:49 pm from TPA, 40 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.
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.