Piper PA-22-108 accident near La Belle, Florida, April 28, 1993
On April 28, 1993 at about 4:45 pm local time, a Piper PA-22-108, registered N5712Z, was substantially damaged in an accident near La Belle, Florida (La Belle Municipal airport). It was a personal flight under general aviation rules (Part 91). No one was hurt; 1 person was on board or involved. The weather was visual conditions (good weather).
The NTSB's probable cause their words, unchanged
THE PILOT IN COMMANDS FAILURE TO CORRECT FOR WIND CONDITIONS DURING LANDING ROLLOUT RESULTING IN THE AIRCRAFT FLIPPING OVER DURING WIND GUST ENCOUNTER.
Source: NTSB aviation accident database, copy made October 5, 2026. Docket and reports at the NTSB.
What the record shows
- Date
- April 28, 1993 · about 4:45 pm local time
- Place
- La Belle, Florida · La Belle Municipal · map
- Type
- Accident
- Injuries
- No one was hurt; 1 person was on board or involved.
- Weather
- visual conditions (good weather)
- Aircraft
- Piper PA-22-108 · all PA-22-108s on the register
- Registration
- N5712Z · registry record · serial 22-9551
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Personal flight · general aviation rules (Part 91)
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
THE PILOT STATED THE WIND WAS NOT GREATER THAN 15 KNOTS DURING HIS PREFLIGHT INSPECTION. AS HE TAXIED FOR TAKEOFF THE WIND BECAME GUSTY. AFTER TAKEOFF THE WIND GUSTS BECAME SIGNIFICANTLY GREATER. HE RETURNED FOR A LANDING ON THE GRASS AREA ADJACENT TO RUNWAY 14. DURING LANDING ROLLOUT THE EASTERLY WIND GUSTS LIFTED HIS LEFT WING AND THE AIRCRAFT FLIPPED OVER THE RIGHT WING AND NOSE AND CAME TO REST INVERTED.
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: 380 hours in all; 374 in this make and model; 7 in the last 90 days; 2 in the last 30 days; 380 as pilot in command
- Medical certificate: Class 3 (valid medical--w/ waivers/lim.)
- Seat: left
The aircraft
- Airframe total time: 4,973 hours
- Last inspection: annual inspection, June 21, 1992; 10 hours since
- Maximum gross weight: 1,650 lb
- Seats: 2
- Landing gear: fixed
- Engine: Lycoming O-235-C1B (piston); 0 hours total
The flight
- Departed from: X14 at 4:30 pm
- Flight plan: none
- Runway 14, 3,200 ft by 75 ft
Weather at the time
- Light: daylight
- Wind: from 060° at 12 knots, gusting 18
- Visibility: 7 statute miles
- Sky: scat at 5,000 ft
- Temperature: 84°F (29°C), dew point 54°F (12°C)
- Altimeter: 30.00 inHg
- Observation at 4:47 pm from FMY, 30 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.