Piper PA-28-161 accident near Sanford, Florida, March 5, 1994
On March 5, 1994 at about 7:57 pm local time, a Piper PA-28-161, registered N9134A, was substantially damaged in an accident near Sanford, Florida (Central Florida Regional airport). It was an instructional flight under general aviation rules (Part 91). 2 people had minor injuries. The weather was visual conditions (good weather).
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The NTSB's probable cause their words, unchanged
THE FAILURE OF THE PILOT TO MAINTAIN AIRSPEED DURING THE FORCED LANDING RESULTING IN AN INADVERTENT STALL/MUSH. THE TOTAL LOSS OF ENGINE POWER CAUSED BY FUEL STARVATION DUE TO INATTENTIVENESS BY THE PILOT-IN-COMMAND (CFI) TO THE FUEL SUPPLY WAS ALSO A CAUSE.
Source: NTSB aviation accident database, copy made October 4, 2026. Docket and reports at the NTSB.
What the record shows
- Date
- March 5, 1994 · about 7:57 pm local time
- Place
- Sanford, Florida · Central Florida Regional · map
- Type
- Accident
- Injuries
- 2 people had minor injuries.
- Weather
- visual conditions (good weather)
- Aircraft
- Piper PA-28-161 · all PA-28-161s on the register
- Registration
- N9134A · registry record · serial 28-8616009
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Instructional flight · general aviation rules (Part 91)
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
DURING THE UPWIND LEG AFTER THE FOURTH OR FIFTH TOUCH-AND-GO LANDING, THE ENGINE EXPERIENCED A TOTAL LOSS OF ENGINE POWER DUE TO FUEL STARVATION. THE CFI TOOK THE CONTROLS AND LANDED THE AIRPLANE ON THE RUNWAY BUT THERE WAS INSUFFICIENT RUNWAY REMAINING TO STOP. DURING THE LANDING ROLL THE ENGINE POWER WAS RESTORED AND THE CFI ELECTED TO TAKE OFF TO RETURN FOR LANDING. DURING THE UPWIND LEG, THE ENGINE AGAIN EXPERIENCED A TOTAL LOSS OF ENGINE POWER DUE TO FUEL STARVATION. DURING THE LEFT TURN TO RETURN TO THE AIRPORT, THE AIRPLANE STALLED AND IMPACTED THE GROUND NOSE AND LEFT WING LOW. THE FUEL SELECTOR WAS POSITIONED TO THE LEFT TANK FOR THE DURATION OF THE FLIGHT AND THE LEFT FUEL TANK WAS EMPTY. THE RIGHT FUEL TANK CONTAINED 15.4 GALLONS OF FUEL.
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
What happened, in order
- LOSS OF ENGINE POWER(TOTAL) - NONMECHANICAL during takeoff - initial climb
- FORCED LANDING during descent - emergency
- LOSS OF CONTROL - IN FLIGHT during maneuvering - turn to landing area (emergency)
- IN FLIGHT COLLISION WITH TERRAIN/WATER during descent - uncontrolled
Pilot
- Ratings: multi-engine land, single-engine land, AME, ASE, IAIR, APLN, none
- Flight time: 436 hours in all; 13 in this make and model; 172 in the last 90 days; 70 in the last 30 days; 378 as pilot in command
- Medical certificate: class 1
The aircraft
- Airframe total time: 4,060 hours
- Last inspection: 100-hour inspection, December 22, 1993; 73 hours since
- Maximum gross weight: 2,447 lb
- Seats: 4
- Landing gear: fixed
- Engine: Lycoming O-320-D3G (piston); 0 hours total
- Operating certificate: in the vicinity
The flight
- Flight plan: none
- Runway 27R, 8,001 ft by 150 ft
- A second pilot was aboard
Weather at the time
- Light: daylight
- Wind: from 270° at 10 knots, gusting 15
- Visibility: 10 statute miles
- Sky: clear
- Temperature: 77°C, dew point 46°C
- Altimeter: 29 inHg
- Observation at 8:10 pm from SFB, 1 miles away
Injuries
| Fatal | Serious | Minor | None | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Crew | 2 |
About this page
Everything above comes from the NTSB's public accident database: the narrative, probable cause and findings are the NTSB's own words, and the coded tables behind its report (pilot, aircraft, flight, weather, injuries, sequence of events) are written out in plain English. Pilots' ages, home towns and medical details are left out on purpose. The docket at the NTSB holds the report as a PDF and the investigation's photographs and documents. This site never names pilots, passengers or anyone else involved. A preliminary report describes what is known soon after the event and can change; the final report, with the probable cause, usually follows one to two years later and this page is refreshed when it does. Case number MIA94LA084.