Piper PA-28 accident near Lake Wales, Florida, September 4, 1988
On September 4, 1988 at about 2:30 pm local time, a Piper PA-28, registered N722TC, was substantially damaged in an accident near Lake Wales, Florida (Chalet Suzanne Air Strip 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).
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 4, 1988 · about 2:30 pm local time
- Place
- Lake Wales, Florida · Chalet Suzanne Air Strip · map
- Type
- Accident
- Injuries
- No one was hurt; 2 people were on board or involved.
- Weather
- visual conditions (good weather)
- Aircraft
- Piper PA-28 · all PA-28s on the register
- Registration
- N722TC · registry record · serial 28-7990127
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Personal flight · general aviation rules (Part 91)
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
THE PLT STATED HE APPROACHED THE 2,450 FT GRASS AIRSTRIP FROM THE NE & CIRCLED NORTH OF IT TO OBSERVE THE WINDSOCK. THE WIND APPEARED TO BE FROM THE EAST. THE PILOT ENTERED THE PATTERN TO LAND ON RWY 36. WHILE FLARING TO LAND THE ACFT FLOATED DOWN THE RWY & TOUCHED DOWN AT MIDFIELD. THE PLT APPLIED THE BRAKES BUT WAS UNABLE TO STOP THE ACFT BEFORE IT WENT OFF THE END & COLLIDED WITH A RWY LIGHT & FENCE. HE FURTHER STATED A GO-AROUND WAS NOT POSSIBLE DUE TO INSUFFICIENT RWY REMAINING. AFTER EXITING THE ACFT THE PLT FURTHER STATED THE WIND WAS FROM THE SOUTH AT 10-15 KNOTS. ACCORDING TO THE OWNER OF THE AIRSTRIP, THE PLT LANDED WITH A 10-15 KNOT TAILWIND.
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; instrument: airplane
- Flight time: 446 hours in all; 396 in this make and model; 15 in the last 90 days; 3 in the last 30 days; 369 as pilot in command
- Medical certificate: Class 3 (valid medical--no waivers/lim.)
- Seat: left
The aircraft
- Airframe total time: 4,965 hours
- Last inspection: 100-hour inspection, July 22, 1988; 62 hours since
- Maximum gross weight: 2,550 lb
- Seats: 4
- Landing gear: fixed
- Engine: Lycoming O-360-A4M (piston); 0 hours total
- Operator: Tilcon Enterprises
The flight
- Departed from: VRB Vero Beach FL at 1:45 pm
- Flight plan: none
- Runway 36, 2,450 ft by 50 ft
Weather at the time
- Light: daylight
- Wind: from 160° at 10 knots
- Visibility: 15 statute miles
- Sky: scat at 2,000 ft
- Temperature: 79°F (26°C), dew point 73°F (23°C)
- Altimeter: 29.00 inHg
- Observation at 1:47 pm from BOW, 9 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.