Piper PA-28-140 accident near La Belle, Florida, December 23, 1994
On December 23, 1994 at about 2:50 am local time, a Piper PA-28-140, registered N41774, was substantially damaged in an accident near La Belle, 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).
The NTSB's probable cause their words, unchanged
PARTIAL LOSS OF ENGINE POWER DUE TO TOTAL FAILURE OF THE NO. 3 CYLINDER EXHAUST VALVE FOR UNDETERMINED REASONS. ALSO, UNSUITABLE TERRAIN ENCOUNTERED DURING THE FORCED LANDING.
Source: NTSB aviation accident database, copy made October 5, 2026. Docket and reports at the NTSB.
What the record shows
- Date
- December 23, 1994 · about 2:50 am local time
- Place
- La Belle, Florida · map
- Type
- Accident
- Injuries
- No one was hurt; 3 people were on board or involved.
- Weather
- visual conditions (good weather)
- Aircraft
- Piper PA-28-140 · all PA-28-140s on the register
- Registration
- N41774 · registry record · serial 28-7425285
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Personal flight · general aviation rules (Part 91)
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
DURING CRUISE FLIGHT, THE NUMBER 3 CYLINDER EXHAUST VALVE FAILED FOR UNDETERMINED REASONS RESULTING IN THE PARTIAL LOSS OF ENGINE POWER. UNABLE TO MAINTAIN ALTITUDE, THE PILOT PERFORMED A FORCED LANDING ON A ROAD AND DURING THE LANDING ROLL, THE LEFT WING COLLIDED WITH A SECTION OF A BRIDGE.
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
- Flight time: 367 hours in all; 101 in this make and model; 35 in the last 90 days; 35 in the last 30 days; 210 as pilot in command
- Medical certificate: Class 3 (valid medical--no waivers/lim.)
- Seat: left
The aircraft
- Airframe total time: 4,115 hours
- Last inspection: annual inspection, December 9, 1994; 7 hours since
- Maximum gross weight: 2,150 lb
- Seats: 4
- Landing gear: fixed
- Engine: Lycoming O-320-E3H (piston); 0 hours total
The flight
- Departed from: FXE Ft Lauderdale FL at 1:55 am
- Destination: SRQ Sarasota FL
- Flight plan: none
- Runway 0
Weather at the time
- Light: night, bright
- Wind: from 160° at 12 knots
- Visibility: 10 statute miles
- Sky: broken clouds at 20,000 ft; scat at 7,000 ft
- Temperature: 61°F (16°C), dew point 61°F (16°C)
- Altimeter: 29.00 inHg
- Observation at 2:49 am from RSW, 22 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.
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.