Piper PA-32-260 accident near Plant City, Florida, December 28, 1994
On December 28, 1994 at about 9:37 pm local time, a Piper PA-32-260, registered N33456, was destroyed in an accident near Plant City, Florida. It was a personal flight under general aviation rules (Part 91). 1 person was seriously injured. The weather was visual conditions (good weather).
The NTSB's probable cause their words, unchanged
The opening of the engine cowling latch in cruise flight for undetermined reasons. This resulted in the puncture of the engine oil cooler, total exhaustion of the engine oil, failure of the No. 6 connecting rod, rod bolts, forced landing while on final approach, and subsequent in-flight collision with non suitable terrain.
Source: NTSB aviation accident database, copy made October 5, 2026. Docket and reports at the NTSB.
What the record shows
- Date
- December 28, 1994 · about 9:37 pm local time
- Place
- Plant City, Florida · map
- Type
- Accident
- Injuries
- 1 person was seriously injured.
- Weather
- visual conditions (good weather)
- Aircraft
- Piper PA-32-260 · all PA-32-260s on the register
- Registration
- N33456 · no longer on the register · serial 32-7500024
- Damage
- Destroyed
- Flight
- Personal flight · general aviation rules (Part 91)
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
The pilot informed ATC that he had a loose engine cowling, and that he would be proceeding direct to the destination airport. The airplane was observed on radar diverting to an alternate airport. Another pilot saw the airplane on final approach with something streaming from the airplane. The airplane was observed to terminate the approach to the south, as if the pilot was making a simulated forced landing. Another witness observed the airplane descending until it collided with trees and terrain. Examination of the wreckage, revealed the engine cowling latch penetrated the oil cooler, resulting in total exhaustion of engine oil, engine failure, and forced 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: private
- Ratings: single-engine land; instrument: airplane
- Flight time: 2,500 hours in all; 1,500 in this make and model; 2,300 as pilot in command
- Medical certificate: Class 3 (valid medical--w/ waivers/lim.)
- Seat: left
The aircraft
- Airframe total time: 2,751 hours
- Last inspection: annual inspection, January 26, 1994; 106 hours since
- Maximum gross weight: 3,400 lb
- Seats: 6
- Landing gear: fixed
- Engine: Lycoming O-540-E4BS (piston); 0 hours total
The flight
- Departed from: X-16 Tampa FL at 9:30 pm
- Destination: LAL Lakeland FL
- Flight plan: none
- Runway 0
Weather at the time
- Light: daylight
- Visibility: 20 statute miles
- Sky: broken clouds at 25,000 ft; scat at 4,000 ft
- Temperature: 72°F (22°C), dew point 61°F (16°C)
- Altimeter: 30.00 inHg
- Observation at 10:56 pm from LAL, 13 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.