Piper PA-23 accident near Spring Hill, Florida, October 6, 1995
On October 6, 1995 at about 6:51 pm local time, a Piper PA-23, registered N183JD, was substantially damaged in an accident near Spring Hill, Florida (Pilot Country airport). It was a positioning 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 PILOT'S FAILURE TO MAINTAIN AIRSPEED (VMC) ON INITIAL TAKEOFF CLIMB RESULTING IN AN IN-FLIGHT LOSS OF CONTROL, AND SUBSEQUENT IN-FLIGHT COLLISION WITH THE GROUND AND A BUILDING. CONTRIBUTING TO THE ACCIDENT WAS A PARTIAL LOSS OF ENGINE POWER ON THE LEFT ENGINE DUE TO FUEL CONTAMINATION OF THE GASCOLATOR AND CARBURETOR BOWL.
Source: NTSB aviation accident database, copy made October 5, 2026. Docket and reports at the NTSB.
What the record shows
- Date
- October 6, 1995 · about 6:51 pm local time
- Place
- Spring Hill, Florida · Pilot Country · map
- Type
- Accident
- Injuries
- 1 person was seriously injured.
- Weather
- visual conditions (good weather)
- Aircraft
- Piper PA-23 · all PA-23s on the register
- Registration
- N183JD · registry record · serial 23-81
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Positioning flight · general aviation rules (Part 91)
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
THE PILOT STATED HIS TAKEOFF ROLL WAS VERY SHORT. RIGHT AFTER LIFT OFF, THE POWER ON THE LEFT ENGINE SURGED. HE THOUGHT HE HAD AN ENGINE FAILURE, AND APPLIED FULL RIGHT RUDDER, WHEN THE POWER ON THE LEFT ENGINE INCREASED. A WITNESS SAW THE AIRPLANE BECOME AIRBORNE ABOUT 500 FEET AFTER STARTING THE TAKEOFF ROLL. THE AIRPLANE WAS OBSERVED TO ASSUME A HIGH ANGLE OF ATTACK, AND STARTED A LEFT TURN WITH ABOUT A 30-DEGREE BANK ANGLE. THE PITCH ATTITUDE INCREASED AND THE AIRPLANE ROLLED TO THE LEFT COLLIDING WITH THE GROUND AND A HANGAR. EXAMINATION OF THE AIRFRAME, FLIGHT CONTROLS, ENGINE ASSEMBLIES AND ACCESSORIES REVEALED NO EVIDENCE OF A PRECRASH FAILURE OR MALFUNCTION. DISASSEMBLY OF THE LEFT ENGINE GASCOLATOR REVEALED THE GASCOLATOR BOWL HAD CONTAMINATION IN THE FORM OF DIRT, DEBRIS, AND WATER. DISASSEMBLY OF THE LEFT ENGINE CARBURETOR REVEALED THE BOWL ASSEMBLY WAS DRY, AND RESIDUE IN THE FORM OF DIRT AND DEBRIS REDDISH IN COLOR WAS PRESENT ALONG THE SIDEWALLS OF THE BOWL ASSEMBLY.
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
- Flight time: 2,000 hours in all; 20 in this make and model; 50 in the last 90 days; 20 in the last 30 days
- Medical certificate: Class 2 (valid medical--w/ waivers/lim.)
- Seat: left
The aircraft
- Last inspection: annual inspection
- Maximum gross weight: 3,800 lb
- Seats: 5
- Landing gear: retractable
- Engine: Lycoming O-360-A1D (piston); 0 hours total
The flight
- Departed from: X05 at 6:50 pm
- Destination: X41 Tampa FL
- Flight plan: none
- Runway 18, 3,700 ft by 75 ft
Weather at the time
- Light: daylight
- Visibility: 10 statute miles
- Sky: scat at 7,500 ft
- Temperature: 75°F (24°C), dew point 73°F (23°C)
- Altimeter: 29.00 inHg
- Observation at 6:54 pm from BKV, 15 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.