Amateur-built RV-4 accident near Zellwood, Florida, July 13, 1988
On July 13, 1988 at about 11:45 pm local time, a amateur-built RV-4, registered N144TH, was substantially damaged in an accident near Zellwood, Florida (Lust Airport). It was a personal flight under general aviation rules (Part 91). No one was hurt; 2 people were on board or involved. The weather was visual conditions (good weather).
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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 4, 2026. Docket and reports at the NTSB.
What the record shows
- Date
- July 13, 1988 · about 11:45 pm local time
- Place
- Zellwood, Florida · Lust Airport · map
- Type
- Accident
- Injuries
- No one was hurt; 2 people were on board or involved.
- Weather
- visual conditions (good weather)
- Aircraft
- Amateur-built RV-4
- Registration
- N144TH · registry record · serial 793
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Personal flight · general aviation rules (Part 91)
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
FLT EXPERIENCED ROUGH RUNNING ENGINE AND LOSS OF POWER. AS ACFT WAS TURNED TOWARD AGRICULTURAL STRIP FOR AN EMERGENCY LANDING THE ENGINE FAILED COMPLETELY. THE PLT TOUCHED DOWN SHORT OF THE RUNWAY AND BOGGED DOWN IN TALL GRASS AND MUCK CAUSING COLLAPSE OF THE LANDING GEAR. THE ACFT CAME TO REST ON IT'S NOSE. EXAMINATION OF THE ENGINE REVEALED THE LEFT MAGNETO WHICH HAD BEEN TIMED .7 FLT HOURS BEFORE THE ACCIDENT WAS LOOSE AND TURNED IN THE MOUNT. THE MAGNETO WAS STILL TOUCHING THE CASE MAKING A GROUND CONNECTION AND THE 'P' LEAD WAS STILL ATTACHED. THE RIGHT MAGNETO WAS FOUND SECURED PROPERLY.
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 single-engine; instrument: airplane
- Flight time: 2,224 hours in all; 12 in this make and model; 85 in the last 90 days; 2,022 as pilot in command
- Medical certificate: Class 1 (valid medical--w/ waivers/lim.)
- Seat: frt
The aircraft
- Airframe total time: 177 hours
- Last inspection: annual inspection, March 8, 1988
- Maximum gross weight: 1,550 lb
- Seats: 2
- Landing gear: fixed
- Engine: Lycoming AEIO-320-E2B (piston); 0 hours total
The flight
- Departed from: ORL Orlando FL at 11:30 pm
- Flight plan: none
- Runway 36
Weather at the time
- Light: daylight
- Wind: from 120° at 8 knots
- Visibility: 4 statute miles
- Sky: broken clouds at 1,500 ft; scat at 900 ft
- Temperature: 77°F (25°C), dew point 73°F (23°C)
- Altimeter: 30.00 inHg
- Observation at 11:47 pm from MCO, 24 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.
About this page
Everything above comes from the NTSB's public accident database: the narrative, probable cause and findings are the NTSB's own words, and the coded tables behind its report (pilot, aircraft, flight, weather, injuries, sequence of events) are written out in plain English. Pilots' ages, home towns and medical details are left out on purpose. The documents and photographs are the NTSB's docket, the folder of records gathered during the investigation, shown as the NTSB released them (the NTSB redacts some personal details first) and listed under the NTSB's own titles. This site's own text never names pilots, passengers or anyone else involved. A preliminary report describes what is known soon after the event and can change; the final report, with the probable cause, usually follows one to two years later and this page is refreshed when it does. Case number MIA88LA221.