Piper PA-28R-200 accident near Sanford, Florida, March 27, 1991
On March 27, 1991 at about 11:21 am local time, a Piper PA-28R-200, registered N55516, was substantially damaged in an accident near Sanford, Florida (Sanford Regional airport). It was an instructional 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
EXCESSIVE FLARE BY THE DUAL STUDENT DURING THE FORCED LANDING FOLLOWING A SIMULATED ENGINE FAILURE SHORTLY AFTER TAKEOFF. ALSO, FAILURE OF THE STUDENT TO MAINTAIN VS, AND FAILURE OF THE CFI TO TAKE REMEDIAL ACTION.
Source: NTSB aviation accident database, copy made October 5, 2026. Docket and reports at the NTSB.
What the record shows
- Date
- March 27, 1991 · about 11:21 am local time
- Place
- Sanford, Florida · Sanford Regional · map
- Type
- Accident
- Injuries
- No one was hurt; 2 people were on board or involved.
- Weather
- visual conditions (good weather)
- Aircraft
- Piper PA-28R-200 · all PA-28R-200s on the register
- Registration
- N55516 · registry record · serial 28R-7335247
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Instructional flight · general aviation rules (Part 91)
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
SHORTLY AFTER TAKEOFF AT 75-100 FT, THE CFI PULLED THE THROTTLE TO IDLE SIMULATION AN ENG FAILURE. DURING THE FLARE TO LAND ON THE REMAINING RWY, THE STUDENT PITCHED THE NOSE TOO HIGH. THE CFI ADVISED THE STUDENT TO APPLY POWER AND CORRECT THE EXCESSIVE PITCH, & HE ATTEMPTED TO APPLY THROTTLE BUT THE ACFT LANDED HARD. UNAWARE OF THE DAMAGE, A STOP & GO LANDING WAS PERFORMED, & AFTER TAKEOFF WHEN THE GEAR WAS RETRACTED, THE GEAR IN TRANSIT LIGHT REMAIN ILLUMINATED. THE FLT RETURNED & AN UNEVENTFUL LANDING OCCURRED.
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; single-engine sea; instructor: airplane multi-engine; instructor: airplane single-engine; instructor: instrument airplane; instrument: airplane
- Flight time: 829 hours in all; 34 in this make and model; 193 in the last 90 days; 61 in the last 30 days; 705 as pilot in command; 446 on instruments
- Medical certificate: Class 1 (valid medical--no waivers/lim.)
- Seat: rgt
The aircraft
- Last inspection: inspection type not recorded; 0 hours since
- Maximum gross weight: 2,650 lb
- Seats: 4
- Landing gear: retractable
- Engine: Lycoming IO-360-C1C (piston); 0 hours total
- Operator: Comair Aviation Academy, INC.
The flight
- Flight plan: none
- Runway 9, 8,001 ft by 150 ft
- A second pilot was aboard
Weather at the time
- Light: daylight
- Wind: from 180° at 4 knots
- Visibility: 6 statute miles
- Sky: broken clouds at 12,000 ft; scat at 3,500 ft
- Temperature: 68°F (20°C), dew point 57°F (14°C)
- Altimeter: 30.00 inHg
- Observation at 11:55 am from SFB, 1 miles away
Injuries
| Fatal | Serious | Minor | None | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Crew | 2 |
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.