Siai-Marchetti SF.260TP accident near Lakeland, Florida, September 10, 1995
On September 10, 1995 at about 5:50 pm local time, a Siai-Marchetti SF.260TP, registered N915WJ, was substantially damaged in an accident near Lakeland, Florida (Lakeland Regional airport). It was a positioning 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
WATER CONTAMINATION IN THE FUEL, AND AN INADEQUATE PREFLIGHT INSPECTION BY THE PILOT, WHICH RESULTED IN A LOSS OF ENGINE POWER.
Source: NTSB aviation accident database, copy made October 4, 2026. Docket and reports at the NTSB.
What the record shows
- Date
- September 10, 1995 · about 5:50 pm local time
- Place
- Lakeland, Florida · Lakeland Regional · map
- Type
- Accident
- Injuries
- No one was hurt; 2 people were on board or involved.
- Weather
- visual conditions (good weather)
- Aircraft
- Siai-Marchetti SF.260TP · all SF.260TPs on the register
- Registration
- N915WJ · no longer on the register · serial 61005
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Positioning flight · general aviation rules (Part 91)
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
THE PILOT STATED THE ENGINE TORQUE ROLLED BACK TO ZERO DURING CLIMB AFTER TAKEOFF. THE PROPELLER APPEARED TO GO TO A FLAT PITCH POSITION AND AIRSPEED DECREASED RAPIDLY. A FORCED LANDING WAS MADE IN RISING TERRAIN ADJACENT TO THE RUNWAY. EXAMINATION SHOWED THE ENGINE FUEL CONTROL AND ENGINE FUEL PUMP WERE CONTAMINATED WITH WATER. NO OTHER EVIDENCE OF ENGINE COMPONENT MALFUNCTION WAS FOUND. THE AIRCRAFT HAD RECENTLY BEEN IMPORTED TO THE UNITED STATES FROM HAITI AND DID NOT HAVE AN FAA AIRWORTHINESS CERTIFICATE.
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: commercial pilot
- Ratings: multi-engine land; single-engine land; instrument: airplane; rotorcraft: helicopter
- Flight time: 12,850 hours in all; 5 in this make and model; 25 in the last 90 days; 15 in the last 30 days; 11,700 as pilot in command
- Medical certificate: Class 2 (valid medical--no waivers/lim.)
- Seat: rgt
The aircraft
- Airframe total time: 350 hours
- Last inspection: inspection type not recorded, August 15, 1995
- Maximum gross weight: 2,465 lb
- Seats: 2
- Landing gear: retractable
- Engine: Allison 250-B17C (turboprop); 0 hours total
The flight
- Departed from: LAL at 5:50 pm
- Destination: FXE Fort Lauderdale FL
- Flight plan: none
- Runway 9, 8,500 ft by 150 ft
Weather at the time
- Light: daylight
- Visibility: 12 statute miles
- Sky: broken clouds at 8,500 ft; scat at 2,500 ft
- Temperature: 81°F (27°C), dew point 72°F (22°C)
- Altimeter: 30.00 inHg
- Observation at 5:57 pm from LAL, 1 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.
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 MIA95LA220.