Piper PA-38 accident near St. Petersburg, Florida, June 26, 1993
On June 26, 1993 at about 12:55 pm local time, a Piper PA-38, registered N25459, was substantially damaged in an accident near St. Petersburg, Florida. It was an instructional flight under general aviation rules (Part 91). 2 people were seriously injured. The weather was visual conditions (good weather).
The NTSB's probable cause their words, unchanged
THE LOSS OF ENGINE POWER FOR UNDETERMINED REASONS, WHICH RESULTED IN THE AIRCRAFT BEING DITCHED.
Source: NTSB aviation accident database, copy made October 5, 2026. Docket and reports at the NTSB.
What the record shows
- Date
- June 26, 1993 · about 12:55 pm local time
- Place
- St. Petersburg, Florida · map
- Type
- Accident
- Injuries
- 2 people were seriously injured.
- Weather
- visual conditions (good weather)
- Aircraft
- Piper PA-38 · all PA-38s on the register
- Registration
- N25459 · no longer on the register · serial 81-0001
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Instructional flight · general aviation rules (Part 91)
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
THE FLIGHT INSTRUCTOR AND STUDENT STATED THAT PREFLIGHT, ENGINE START, TAXIOUT, AND ENGINE RUNUP WAS NORMAL. BEFORE TAKEOFF THEY LEANED THE ENGINE WITH THE MIXTURE CONTROL PER THE FLIGHT SCHOOLS PIPER PA-38 CHECKLIST. AFTER TAKEOFF WHILE CLIMBING THROUGH 300 FEET THE ENGINE SPUTTERED AND LOST PARTIAL POWER. THE FLIGHT INSTRUCTOR TOOK THE CONTROLS AND INITIATED A TURN BACK TO THE AIRPORT. SHORTLY AFTER THIS, THE ENGINE SPUTTERED AND LOST ALL POWER. THE INSTRUCTOR LEVELED THE WINGS AND THE AIRCRAFT WAS DITCHED IN TAMPA BAY. AFTER 10 TO 15 SECONDS THE AIRCRAFT SANK. THE INSTRUCTOR AND STUDENT EXITED THE AIRCRAFT AND WERE RESCUED BY PASSING BOATS. THE AIRCRAFT WRECKAGE WAS LOCATED AND RECOVERED 2 WEEKS AFTER THE ACCIDENT. EXAMINATION OF THE AIRCRAFT AND ENGINE AFTER RECOVERY REVEALED NO EVIDENCE TO INDICATE THE CAUSE FOR THE REPORTED LOSS OF ENGINE 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: flight instructor, commercial pilot
- Ratings: multi-engine land; single-engine land; instructor: airplane single-engine; instructor: instrument airplane; instrument: airplane
- Flight time: 632 hours in all; 106 in this make and model; 228 in the last 90 days; 63 in the last 30 days; 511 as pilot in command; 298 on instruments
- Medical certificate: Class 1 (valid medical--no waivers/lim.)
- Seat: rgt
The aircraft
- Airframe total time: 2,691 hours
- Last inspection: 100-hour inspection, June 23, 1993
- Maximum gross weight: 1,670 lb
- Seats: 2
- Landing gear: fixed
- Engine: Lycoming O-235-L2C (piston); 0 hours total
The flight
- Departed from: SPG at 12:55 pm
- Flight plan: none
- Runway 0
- A second pilot was aboard
Weather at the time
- Light: daylight
- Wind: from 140° at 5 knots
- Visibility: 7 statute miles
- Sky: broken clouds at 5,000 ft; not recorded at 5,000 ft
- Temperature: 81°F (27°C), dew point 75°F (24°C)
- Altimeter: 30.00 inHg
- Observation at 1:01 pm from SPG, 1 miles away
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.
Other NTSB records under N25459 the same tail number, which may have belonged to a different aircraft at the time
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.