Piper PA-28-140 accident near Flamingo, Florida, May 25, 1991
On May 25, 1991 at about 7:15 pm local time, a Piper PA-28-140, registered N56118, was substantially damaged in an accident near Flamingo, Florida. 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
PARTIAL LOSS OF ENGINE POWER DUE TO FAILURE OF THE NO. 3 CYLINDER EXHAUST VALVE FOR UNDETERMINED REASONS. CONTRIBUTING TO THE ACCIDENT WAS LACK OF SUITABLE TERRAIN DURING THE FORCED LANDING.
Source: NTSB aviation accident database, copy made October 5, 2026. Docket and reports at the NTSB.
What the record shows
- Date
- May 25, 1991 · about 7:15 pm local time
- Place
- Flamingo, Florida · map
- Type
- Accident
- Injuries
- 2 people had minor injuries.
- Weather
- visual conditions (good weather)
- Aircraft
- Piper PA-28-140 · all PA-28-140s on the register
- Registration
- N56118 · no longer on the register
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Personal flight · general aviation rules (Part 91)
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
DURING NORMAL CRUISE FLT, THE ENG RPM DROPPED FROM 2,400 TO 1,900. THE PLT ATTEMPTED TO CORRECT THIS BUT WAS UNSUCCESSFUL. UNABLE TO MAINTAIN ALTITUDE, HE LANDED THE ACFT IN A FIELD BUT DURING THE LANDING ROLL, THE LT WING WAS SEVERED AFTER IMPACT WITH A TREE. THE ACFT ROLLED INVERTED & CAME TO REST. EXAM OF THE ENG REVEALED THAT THE NO. 3 CYLINDER EXHAUST VALVE FAILED. DUR TO DAMAGE TO THE FRACTURE SURFACE, NO DETERMINATION COULD BE MADE AS TO THE REASON FOR THE FAILURE. REVIEW OF THE ENG LOGBOOKS REVEALED THAT IN OCTOBER 1979, THE EGN WAS OVERHAULED WHICH INCLUDED IN PART, REPLACEMENT OF THE EXHAUST VALVES. SINCE THAT TIME THE ENG HAD ACCUMULATED APRX 1,400 HRS.
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: 205 hours in all; 76 in this make and model; 14 in the last 90 days; 6 in the last 30 days; 148 as pilot in command
- Medical certificate: Class 3 (valid medical--w/ waivers/lim.)
- Seat: unk
The aircraft
- Airframe total time: 3,775 hours
- Last inspection: 100-hour inspection, May 3, 1991; 4 hours since
- Maximum gross weight: 1,950 lb
- Seats: 4
- Landing gear: fixed
- Engine: Lycoming O-320-E2A (piston); 0 hours total
The flight
- Departed from: PIE St. Petersburg FL at 4:25 pm
- Destination: MTH Marathon FL
- Flight plan: VFR
- Runway 0
Weather at the time
- Light: daylight
- Wind: from 140° at 9 knots
- Visibility: 10 statute miles
- Sky: scat at 2,000 ft
- Temperature: 90°F (32°C), dew point 0°F (-18°C)
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.