Piper PA-28R-200 accident near Tarpon Springs, Florida, December 26, 1992
On December 26, 1992 at about 2:18 pm local time, a Piper PA-28R-200, registered N5343T, was destroyed in an accident near Tarpon Springs, Florida (Tampa Bay Executive airport). It was a personal flight under general aviation rules (Part 91). 1 person was killed. The weather was instrument conditions (cloud, fog or low visibility).
The NTSB's probable cause their words, unchanged
THE PILOT'S FAILURE TO MAINTAIN THE MINUMUM DESCENT ALTITUDE (MDA) WHILE ON A NON-PRECISION INSTRUMENT APPROACH. FACTORS WHICH CONTRIBUTED TO THE ACCIDENT WERE: THE FLIGHT SERVICE STATION (FSS) SPECIALIST'S FAILURE TO PROVIDE THE PUBLISHED NOTICE TO AIRMEN (NOTAM) INFORMATION TO THE PILOT DURING THE WEATHER BRIEFING, AND THE CONTROLLER'S FAILURE TO REMEMBER THAT THE VOR-A APPROACH WAS NOT AUTHORIZED.
Source: NTSB aviation accident database, copy made October 5, 2026. Docket and reports at the NTSB.
What the record shows
- Date
- December 26, 1992 · about 2:18 pm local time
- Place
- Tarpon Springs, Florida · Tampa Bay Executive · map
- Type
- Accident
- Injuries
- 1 person was killed.
- Weather
- instrument conditions (cloud, fog or low visibility)
- Aircraft
- Piper PA-28R-200 · all PA-28R-200s on the register
- Registration
- N5343T · no longer on the register · serial 28R-7235224
- Damage
- Destroyed
- Flight
- Personal flight · general aviation rules (Part 91)
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
DURING HIS WX BRIEFING BEFORE FLIGHT, THE PLT DID NOT REQUEST PUBLISHED NOTAM INFORMATION WHICH WOULD HAVE ADVISED HIM THAT THE VOR APCH TO THE DESTINATION ARPT WAS NOT AUTHORIZED. UPON ARRIVING IN THE VICINITY OF THE DESTINATION, THE PILOT WAS RADAR VECTORED AND THEN CLEARED FOR THE VOR-A APPROACH. IN RESPONSE TO THE CONTROLLER'S QUERY ABOUT RECEIVING THE VOR, THE PLT STATED 'GOT IT.' THE LAST RADAR RETURN SHOWED THE AIRPLANE AT 200 FT. THE AIRPLANE COLLIDED WITH A POWER LINE SAFETY CABLE APRX 115 FT AGL. THE VOR-A APPROACH HAD BEEN NOTAMED AS BEING NOT AUTHORIZED BECAUSE A FLIGHT CHECK SHOWED THE APPROACH RADIAL AS BEING ROUGH WITH SCALLOPING. THE MINIMUM DESCENT ALTITUDE WAS 680 FT.
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: single-engine land; instructor: airplane single-engine; instrument: airplane
- Flight time: 1,150 hours in all
- Medical certificate: Class 3 (valid medical--w/ waivers/lim.)
- Seat: left
The aircraft
- Last inspection: annual inspection, September 8, 1992
- Maximum gross weight: 2,650 lb
- Seats: 4
- Landing gear: retractable
- Engine: Lycoming IO-360-C1C (piston); 0 hours total
- Fire on the ground
The flight
- Departed from: JAX Jacksonville FL at 12:44 pm
- Destination: X41 New Port Richey FL
- Flight plan: IFR
- Runway 0
Weather at the time
- Light: daylight
- Wind: from 120° at 5 knots
- Sky: not recorded
- Temperature: 64°F (18°C), dew point 64°F (18°C)
- Altimeter: 30.00 inHg
- Observation at 1:50 pm from PIE, 16 miles away
Injuries
| Fatal | Serious | Minor | None | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Crew | 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.