Amateur-built FOKKER VII accident near Tampa, Florida, April 19, 1993
On April 19, 1993 at about 8:40 pm local time, a amateur-built FOKKER VII, registered N11VD, was substantially damaged in an accident near Tampa, Florida. It was a personal flight under general aviation rules (Part 91). 1 person had minor injuries. The weather was visual conditions (good weather).
The NTSB's probable cause their words, unchanged
LOSS OF ENGINE POWER FOR UNDETERMINED REASONS. THE LACK OF SUITABLE TERRAIN FOR A FORCED LANDING WAS A FACTOR.
Source: NTSB aviation accident database, copy made October 5, 2026. Docket and reports at the NTSB.
What the record shows
- Date
- April 19, 1993 · about 8:40 pm local time
- Place
- Tampa, Florida · map
- Type
- Accident
- Injuries
- 1 person had minor injuries.
- Weather
- visual conditions (good weather)
- Aircraft
- Amateur-built FOKKER VII
- Registration
- N11VD · registry record · serial 7684
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Personal flight · general aviation rules (Part 91)
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
THE COMMERCIAL PILOT STATED THAT EARLIER IN THE MORNING HE HAD CONDUCTED A PRECAUTIONARY LANDING IN AN OPEN FIELD DUE TO A ROUGH RUNNING ENGINE. FIVE SPARK PLUGS WERE CHANGED AND AN ENGINE RUN UP WAS CONDUCTED WITH NO DEFICIENCIES NOTED. THE PILOT TOOK OFF FROM THE OPEN FIELD AND REACHED AN ALTITUDE BETWEEN 200 TO 300 FEET AGL WHEN THE AIRPLANE EXPERIENCED A LOSS OF ENGINE POWER. THE PILOT CONDUCTED A FORCED LANDING INTO A POND TO AVOID HOUSES AND GROUND PERSONNEL. AN ON-SCENE EXAMINATION CONDUCTED BY THE FAA REVEALED NO EVIDENCE TO INDICATE ANY PREIMPACT FAILURE OR MALFUNCTION. THE FAA INSPECTOR WROTE IN A STATEMENT TO THE NTSB INVESTIGATOR-IN-CHARGE, THAT AFTER A THOROUGH INVESTIGATION, INCLUDING AN INTERVIEW WITH THE PILOT, THE EXACT CAUSE OF THE ACCIDENT COULD NOT BE DETERMINED.
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; instructor: airplane multi-engine; instructor: airplane single-engine; instructor: instrument airplane; instrument: airplane
- Flight time: 13,000 hours in all
- Medical certificate: Class 3 (valid medical--w/ waivers/lim.)
- Seat: frt
The aircraft
- Airframe total time: 156 hours
- Last inspection: annual inspection, March 3, 1993; 153 hours since
- Maximum gross weight: 1,836 lb
- Seats: 1
- Landing gear: fixed
- Engine: Ranger 6-440C-2 (piston); 0 hours total
The flight
- Departed from: NONE at 8:38 pm
- Flight plan: none
- Runway 0
Weather at the time
- Light: daylight
- Wind: from 270° at 7 knots
- Sky: broken clouds at 6,500 ft; not recorded at 6,500 ft
- Temperature: 75°F (24°C), dew point 50°F (10°C)
- Altimeter: 30.00 inHg
- Observation at 8:50 pm from TPA, 7 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.