Piper PA-28-151 accident near Jupiter, Florida, December 12, 1990
On December 12, 1990 at about 9:57 pm local time, a Piper PA-28-151, registered N4480F, was substantially damaged in an accident near Jupiter, Florida. It was a personal flight under general aviation rules (Part 91). No one was hurt; 4 people were on board or involved. The weather was visual conditions (good weather).
The NTSB's probable cause their words, unchanged
PARTIAL LOSS OF ENGINE POWER DUE TO FAILURE OF AN EXHAUST VALVE, DUE TO A VALVE GUIDE THAT WAS WORN BEYOND SPECIFICATIONS.
Source: NTSB aviation accident database, copy made October 5, 2026. Docket and reports at the NTSB.
What the record shows
- Date
- December 12, 1990 · about 9:57 pm local time
- Place
- Jupiter, Florida · map
- Type
- Accident
- Injuries
- No one was hurt; 4 people were on board or involved.
- Weather
- visual conditions (good weather)
- Aircraft
- Piper PA-28-151 · all PA-28-151s on the register
- Registration
- N4480F · no longer on the register · serial 28-7715036
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Personal flight · general aviation rules (Part 91)
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
DURING CRUISE FLT ABOUT 1/2 MILE OFFSHORE AT AN ALT OF 500 FT, THE PLT STATED THAT HE HEARD A KNOCKING SOUND & THE ENG LOST POWER. UNABLE TO MAINTAIN ALT, HE DITCHED THE ACFT. THE ACFT WAS RECOVERED & THE ENG WAS REMOVED FOR FURTHER EXAM. EXAM OF THE ENG REVEALED THAT THE NO.2 CYL EXHAUST VALVE FAILED DUE TO A WORN VALVE GUIDE. THE INTERNAL DIAMETER OF THE VALVE GUIDE AT THE TOP MEASURED .539' & THE BOTTOM MEASURE .563'. FACTORY SPECIFICATIONS ARE .4985' TO .4995'. THE ENG LOGBOOKS WERE INSIDE THE ACFT & WERE NOT RECOVERED.
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; instructor: instrument airplane; instrument: airplane
- Flight time: 1,510 hours in all; 200 in this make and model; 200 in the last 90 days; 50 in the last 30 days; 1,200 as pilot in command; 1,200 on instruments
- Medical certificate: Class 2 (valid medical--no waivers/lim.)
- Seat: rgt
The aircraft
- Airframe total time: 5,740 hours
- Last inspection: annual inspection; 67 hours since
- Maximum gross weight: 2,325 lb
- Seats: 4
- Landing gear: fixed
- Engine: Lycoming O-320-E3D (piston); 0 hours total
The flight
- Departed from: FXE Fort Lauderdale FL at 9:00 pm
- Destination: SUA Stuart FL
- Flight plan: none
- Runway 0
- A second pilot was aboard
Weather at the time
- Light: daylight
- Wind: from 120° at 9 knots
- Visibility: 10 statute miles
- Sky: broken clouds at 30,000 ft; scat at 5,000 ft
- Temperature: 0°F (-18°C), dew point 0°F (-18°C)
- Altimeter: 30.00 inHg
- Observation at 9:54 pm from PBI, 31 miles away
Injuries
| Fatal | Serious | Minor | None | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Crew | 1 | |||
| Passengers | 3 |
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.