Piper PA-12 accident near Tampa, Florida, July 2, 1993
On July 2, 1993 at about 12:07 pm local time, a Piper PA-12, registered N4106M, was destroyed in an accident near Tampa, Florida. It was an other work-use 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 improper welding/repair by maintenence personnel of the exhaust system, which eventually failed allowing hot exhaust gasses and flame to burn a fuel line and start a fire.
Source: NTSB aviation accident database, copy made October 5, 2026. Docket and reports at the NTSB.
What the record shows
- Date
- July 2, 1993 · about 12:07 pm local time
- Place
- Tampa, Florida · map
- Type
- Accident
- Injuries
- No one was hurt; 1 person was on board or involved.
- Weather
- visual conditions (good weather)
- Aircraft
- Piper PA-12 · all PA-12s on the register
- Registration
- N4106M · no longer on the register · serial 3002
- Damage
- Destroyed
- Flight
- Other work-use flight · general aviation rules (Part 91)
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
WHILE TOWING A BANNER THE PILOT NOTED THE ENGINE FAILED AND A FIRE WAS OBSERVED FROM THE COWLING. HE RELEASED THE BANNER, EXECUTED A FORCED LANDING, AND EXITED THE AIRPLANE WITHOUT INJURY. THE AIRPLANE WAS DESTROYED BY FIRE. EXAMINATION OF THE MUFFLER SYSTEM REVEALED INTERGRANULAR AND FATIGUE CRACKING OF THE INLET PIPE SEAM. THIS ALLOWED HOT EXHAUST GASSES AND FLAME TO IMPINGE OF A FUEL LINE IN THE AREA STARTING A FIRE.
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; instrument: airplane
- Flight time: 834 hours in all; 41 in this make and model; 140 in the last 90 days; 42 in the last 30 days; 758 as pilot in command; 174 on instruments
- Medical certificate: Class 2 (valid medical--no waivers/lim.)
- Seat: frt
The aircraft
- Last inspection: annual inspection, March 2, 1993
- Maximum gross weight: 1,750 lb
- Seats: 2
- Landing gear: fixed
- Engine: Lycoming O-235C (piston); 0 hours total
- Operator: Aerial Billboard CORP.
The flight
- Flight plan: none
- Runway 0
Weather at the time
- Light: daylight
- Visibility: 7 statute miles
- Sky: scat at 14,000 ft
- Temperature: 73°F (23°C), dew point 70°F (21°C)
- Altimeter: 30.00 inHg
- Observation at 11:51 am from TPA, 11 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.