Piper PA-28R-200 accident near River Ranch, Florida, April 10, 1994
On April 10, 1994 at about 2:35 pm local time, a Piper PA-28R-200, registered N1395T, was substantially damaged in an accident near River Ranch, Florida. It was a personal flight under general aviation rules (Part 91). No one was hurt; 3 people were on board or involved. The weather was visual conditions (good weather).
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The NTSB's probable cause their words, unchanged
THE IMPROPER INSPECTION OF THE WORN THROTTLE LINKAGE CONNECTION AT THE FUEL CONTROL, WHICH RESULTED IN THE LINKAGE BECOMING DISCONNECTED FROM THE FUEL CONTROL IN FLIGHT AND THE ENGINE LOSING POWER. THIS RESULTED IN THE AIRCRAFT COLLIDING WITH A DITCH DURING A FORCED LANDING IN A FIELD.
Source: NTSB aviation accident database, copy made October 4, 2026. Docket and reports at the NTSB.
What the record shows
- Date
- April 10, 1994 · about 2:35 pm local time
- Place
- River Ranch, Florida · map
- Type
- Accident
- Injuries
- No one was hurt; 3 people were on board or involved.
- Weather
- visual conditions (good weather)
- Aircraft
- Piper PA-28R-200 · all PA-28R-200s on the register
- Registration
- N1395T · registry record · serial 28R7235277
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Personal flight · general aviation rules (Part 91)
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
THE AIRPLANE LOST ENGINE POWER WHILE IN CRUISE FLIGHT. WHILE MAKING A FORCED LANDING IN A FIELD THE AIRCRAFT COLLIDED WITH A DITCH. POSTACCIDENT EXAMINATION OF THE AIRCRAFT BY FAA INSPECTORS INDICATED THE THROTTLE LINKAGE HAD BECOME DISCONNECTED FROM THE FUEL CONTROL DUE TO EXCESSIVE WEAR OF THE LINKAGE CONNECTION. THE AIRCRAFT HAD RECIEVED A 100-HOUR INSPECTION 11 DAYS, 8 FLIGHT HOURS BEFORE THE ACCIDENT.
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: multi-engine land; single-engine land; instrument: airplane
- Flight time: 453 hours in all; 130 in this make and model; 21 in the last 90 days; 7 in the last 30 days; 259 as pilot in command
- Medical certificate: Class 3 (valid medical--w/ waivers/lim.)
- Seat: left
The aircraft
- Airframe total time: 5,438 hours
- Last inspection: 100-hour inspection, March 30, 1994; 8 hours since
- Maximum gross weight: 2,650 lb
- Seats: 4
- Landing gear: retractable
- Engine: Lycoming IO-360-C1C (piston); 0 hours total
The flight
- Departed from: TMB Miami FL at 1:20 pm
- Destination: ISM Kissimmee FL
- Flight plan: IFR
- Runway 0
Weather at the time
- Light: daylight
- Wind: from 110° at 12 knots
- Visibility: 19 statute miles
- Sky: broken clouds at 3,800 ft; not recorded
- Temperature: 0°F (-18°C), dew point 0°F (-18°C)
- Altimeter: 30.00 inHg
- Observation at 3:15 pm from MCO, 40 miles away
Injuries
| Fatal | Serious | Minor | None | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Crew | 1 | |||
| Passengers | 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.
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 documents and photographs are the NTSB's docket, the folder of records gathered during the investigation, shown as the NTSB released them (the NTSB redacts some personal details first) and listed under the NTSB's own titles. This site's own text 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 MIA94LA117.