Piper PA-24-180 accident near Valparaiso, Florida, July 6, 1991
On July 6, 1991 at about 1:19 pm local time, a Piper PA-24-180, registered N5953P, was substantially damaged in an accident near Valparaiso, Florida (Eglin Afb airport). 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 FUEL CONTAMINATION DUE TO AN INADEQUATE PREFLIGHT BY THE PILOT IN COMMAND AND FAILURE OF THE PILOT TO EXTEND THE LANDING GEAR 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
- July 6, 1991 · about 1:19 pm local time
- Place
- Valparaiso, Florida · Eglin Afb · map
- Type
- Accident
- Injuries
- No one was hurt; 4 people were on board or involved.
- Weather
- visual conditions (good weather)
- Aircraft
- Piper PA-24-180 · all PA-24-180s on the register
- Registration
- N5953P · no longer on the register · serial 24-1044
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Personal flight · general aviation rules (Part 91)
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
THE FUEL TANKS WERE FILLED THE DAY BEFORE THE ACCIDENT FLT AT A NEARBY ARPT. THE PLT REPORTED THAT THE 20 MINUTE RETURN FLT WAS UNEVENTFUL. BEFORE DEPARTURE ON A LOCAL FLT, THE FUEL TANKS WERE CHECKED FOR CONTAMINANTS; NONE WERE FOUND. THE FLT DEPARTED, PERFORMED ONE TOUCH AND GO LANDING, AND THE PILOT STATED THAT WHILE TURNING CROSSWIND, THE ENG LOST POWER. HE THEN LANDED THE ACFT GEAR UP ON A TAXIWAY. THE FUEL TANKS WERE DRAINED IMMEDIATELY AFTER THE ACCIDENT. THE CARBURETOR BOWL WAS DRAINED 2 DAYS AFTER THE ACCIDENT WHICH REVEALED ABOUT 130 ML OF FUEL AND 20 ML OF WATER.
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: airline transport pilot, private
- Ratings: multi-engine land; single-engine land; instrument: airplane
- Flight time: 3,654 hours in all; 181 in this make and model; 28 in the last 90 days; 4 in the last 30 days; 3,536 as pilot in command; 678 on instruments
- Medical certificate: Class 2 (valid medical--no waivers/lim.)
- Seat: unk
The aircraft
- Airframe total time: 3,538 hours
- Last inspection: annual inspection, July 1, 1991; 1 hours since
- Maximum gross weight: 2,550 lb
- Seats: 4
- Landing gear: retractable
- Engine: Lycoming O-360-A1A (piston); 0 hours total
The flight
- Flight plan: none
- Runway 0
Weather at the time
- Light: daylight
- Visibility: 6 statute miles
- Sky: broken clouds at 4,000 ft; scat at 2,000 ft
- Temperature: 73°F (23°C), dew point 73°F (23°C)
- Altimeter: 30.00 inHg
- Observation at 1:25 pm from VPS, 1 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.