Piper PA-24-250 accident near Labelle, Florida, November 21, 1993
On November 21, 1993 at about 11:00 pm local time, a Piper PA-24-250, registered N5755P, was substantially damaged in an accident near Labelle, Florida (Labelle Airport). It was a personal flight under general aviation rules (Part 91). No one was hurt; 2 people were on board or involved. The weather was visual conditions (good weather).
The NTSB's probable cause their words, unchanged
THE PILOT-IN-COMMAND EXCEEDING THE STRUCTURAL LIMITS OF THE AIRPLANE'S DESIGN LIMITS BY IN-FLIGHT OVER-STRESS THAT RESULTED IN DAMAGE TO THE GEAR EXTENSION SYSTEM, FUSELAGE AND CONTROL SURFACES.
Source: NTSB aviation accident database, copy made October 5, 2026. Docket and reports at the NTSB.
What the record shows
- Date
- November 21, 1993 · about 11:00 pm local time
- Place
- Labelle, Florida · Labelle Airport · map
- Type
- Accident
- Injuries
- No one was hurt; 2 people were on board or involved.
- Weather
- visual conditions (good weather)
- Aircraft
- Piper PA-24-250 · all PA-24-250s on the register
- Registration
- N5755P · no longer on the register · serial 24-831
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Personal flight · general aviation rules (Part 91)
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
WHILE IN THE TRAFFIC PATTERN, NORMAL AND EMERGENCY ATTEMPTS TO LOWER THE LANDING GEAR WERE UNSUCCESSFUL. THE PILOT-IN-COMMAND THEN LANDED INTENTIONALLY GEAR UP IN GRASS ADJACENT TO THE RUNWAY AND THE AIRCRAFT SLID TO A STOP, CAUSING MINIMAL DAMAGE. FURTHER ANALYSIS OF WRECKAGE PHOTOGRAPHS BY PIPER AIRCRAFT PROVED SUBSTANTIAL DAMAGE WAS CAUSED BY AERODYNAMIC OVERLOADING IN THE AIR PRIOR TO THE LANDING.
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: student
- Flight time: 112 hours in all
- Medical certificate: None (expired)
- Seat: unk
The aircraft
- Last inspection: inspection type not recorded
- Maximum gross weight: 2,900 lb
- Seats: 4
- Landing gear: retractable
- Engine: Lycoming O-540 (piston); 0 hours total
The flight
- Flight plan: none
- Runway 14, 3,810 ft by 50 ft
Weather at the time
- Light: daylight
- Wind: from 140° at 5 knots
- Visibility: 10 statute miles
- Sky: scat at 5,000 ft
- Temperature: 79°F (26°C), dew point 63°F (17°C)
- Altimeter: 29.00 inHg
- Observation at 10:55 pm from PBI, 72 miles away
Injuries
| Fatal | Serious | Minor | None | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Crew | 1 | |||
| Passengers | 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.