Lake LA-4 accident near Panama City, Florida, October 10, 1991
On October 10, 1991 at about 7:32 pm local time, a Lake LA-4, registered N25PA, was substantially damaged in an accident near Panama City, Florida (Panama City-Bay County airport). It was an instructional 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
LOSS OF POWER DUE TO UNDETERMINED REASONS. CONTRIBUTING TO THE ACCIDENT WAS THE CFI'S INADEQUATE EMERGENCY PROCEDURES FOLLOWING THE REPORTED LOSS OF POWER.
Source: NTSB aviation accident database, copy made October 5, 2026. Docket and reports at the NTSB.
What the record shows
- Date
- October 10, 1991 · about 7:32 pm local time
- Place
- Panama City, Florida · Panama City-Bay County · map
- Type
- Accident
- Injuries
- 2 people had minor injuries.
- Weather
- visual conditions (good weather)
- Aircraft
- Lake LA-4 · all LA-4s on the register
- Registration
- N25PA · no longer on the register · serial 427
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Instructional flight · general aviation rules (Part 91)
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
WHILE ON THE DOWNWIND LEG AFTER THE STUDENT POSITIONED THE PROPELLER CONTROL TO THE HIGH RPM POSITION, THE CFI STATED THAT HE HEARD A LOUD NOISE & THE ENG EXPERIENCED A LOSS OF POWER. THE CFI TOOK CONTROL OF THE ACFT, IMMEDIATELY INITIATED A DESCENT, POSITIONED THE PROPELLER CONTROL TO THE LOW RPM POSITION, BUT NEVER LOOKED AT THE ENG INSTRUMENTS. WHILE DESCENDING THE ACFT COLLIDED WITH TREES, THEN CAME TO REST INVERTED ON THE GROUND. THE ACFT WAS EXAMINED WHICH REVEALED FUEL QUANTITY SUFFICIENT TO SUSTAIN ENG OPERATION. THE ENG WAS REMOVED FOR FURTHER EXAMINATION WHICH REVEALED NO EVIDENCE OF PRE-IMPACT FAILURE OR MALFUNCTION. THE PROP & PROP GOVERNOR WERE REMOVED FOR EXAM WHICH REVEALED NO EVIDENCE OF PREIMPACT FAILURE OR MALFUNCTION. NO DETERMINATION COULD BE MADE AS TO THE REASON FOR THE REPORTED LOSS OF POWER.
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, flight instructor
- 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: 15,900 hours in all; 510 in this make and model; 90 in the last 90 days; 20 in the last 30 days; 15,300 as pilot in command; 1,500 on instruments
- Medical certificate: Class 1 (valid medical--w/ waivers/lim.)
- Seat: rgt
The aircraft
- Airframe total time: 1,253 hours
- Last inspection: annual inspection, October 2, 1991; 6 hours since
- Maximum gross weight: 2,400 lb
- Seats: 4
- Landing gear: fixed
- Engine: Lycoming O-360-A1A (piston); 0 hours total
- Operator: Panama Aviation
The flight
- Flight plan: none
- Runway 0
- A second pilot was aboard
Weather at the time
- Light: daylight
- Visibility: 8 statute miles
- Sky: clear
- Temperature: 75°F (24°C), dew point 0°F (-18°C)
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.