Piper PA-28 accident near Orlando, Florida, September 3, 1988
On September 3, 1988 at about 2:30 pm local time, a Piper PA-28, registered N36190, was substantially damaged in an accident near Orlando, Florida (Orlando West airport). It was a personal flight under general aviation rules (Part 91). 2 people had minor injuries. 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
- September 3, 1988 · about 2:30 pm local time
- Place
- Orlando, Florida · Orlando West · map
- Type
- Accident
- Injuries
- 2 people had minor injuries.
- Weather
- visual conditions (good weather)
- Aircraft
- Piper PA-28 · all PA-28s on the register
- Registration
- N36190 · no longer on the register · serial 28-7816620
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Personal flight · general aviation rules (Part 91)
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
THE PLT HAD RENTED THE FULLY FUELED AIRCRAFT FROM AN FBO AT ORL WHICH HAS HARD SURFACED 4600 & 6000 FT RWYS. HE FLEW TO A 130 FT MSL ARPT WITH A 2430 FT GRASS RWY & PICKED UP HIS WIFE FOR A XC FLT. HE STATED THAT THE ACFT PERFORMED NORMALLY DURING THE 10 MIN FIRST FLT. ON DEPARTURE, THE PLT STATED THE WIND WAS CALM & HE ATTEMPTED A TAKEOFF FROM RWY 36. ABOUT 2/3 WAY DOWN THE RWY AND AT 65 KTS, HE STATED HE ROTATED & THE ENG QUIT. HE DIDN'T THINK HE COULD STOP THE ACFT ON THE WET GRASS & THERE WAS A DITCH AT THE END OF THE RWY. HE STATED THAT HE AVOIDED THE DITCH BY 'REAPPLIED THROTTLE & PULLED ACFT OFF SURFACE AT APRCH TO DITCH. ACFT ROTATED, THEN STALLED.' THE LEFT WING WAS SHEARED OFF AFTER HITTING A STUMP. AFTERWARD, THE ENG WAS TEST RUN AND NO ABNORMALITIES WERE OBSERVED. SURFACE WIND AT ORL WAS 140 DEGS AT 12 KTS. THE AIR TEMP WAS 85 DEGS & DENS ALT WAS CALCULATED TO BE 1800 FT MSL.
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: 2,372 hours in all; 109 in this make and model; 2,299 as pilot in command
- Medical certificate: Class 3 (valid medical--w/ waivers/lim.)
- Seat: left
The aircraft
- Airframe total time: 3,385 hours
- Last inspection: annual inspection, June 10, 1988; 13 hours since
- Maximum gross weight: 2,150 lb
- Seats: 4
- Landing gear: fixed
- Engine: Lycoming O-320-D3G (piston); 0 hours total
The flight
- Destination: EYW Key West FL
- Flight plan: none
- Runway 36, 2,430 ft by 150 ft
Weather at the time
- Light: daylight
- Wind: from 140° at 12 knots
- Visibility: 12 statute miles
- Sky: scat at 3,000 ft
- Temperature: 84°F (29°C), dew point 73°F (23°C)
- Altimeter: 30.00 inHg
- Observation at 2:50 pm from ORL, 11 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.
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.