Piper PA-28-161 accident near Marco Island, Florida, November 9, 1995
On November 9, 1995 at about 1:50 pm local time, a Piper PA-28-161, registered N970AC, was substantially damaged in an accident near Marco Island, Florida (Marco Island Airport). It was a personal flight under general aviation rules (Part 91). No one was hurt; 1 person was on board or involved. The weather was visual conditions (good weather).
The NTSB's probable cause their words, unchanged
A LOSS OF ENGINE POWER FOR UNDETERMINED REASONS. THE LACK OF SUITABLE TERRAIN FOR THE FORCED LANDING WAS A FACTOR.
Source: NTSB aviation accident database, copy made October 5, 2026. Docket and reports at the NTSB.
What the record shows
- Date
- November 9, 1995 · about 1:50 pm local time
- Place
- Marco Island, Florida · Marco Island Airport
- Type
- Accident
- Injuries
- No one was hurt; 1 person was on board or involved.
- Weather
- visual conditions (good weather)
- Aircraft
- Piper PA-28-161 · all PA-28-161s on the register
- Registration
- N970AC · registry record · serial 28-8216203
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Personal flight · general aviation rules (Part 91)
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
The pilot stated that as he was approaching his destination airport the power smoothly decreased to idle power. He initiated a forced landing to the water and the right wing was damaged as the airplane touched down in about 2 feet of water. Post accident inspection revealed no failures nor malfuntions that would have caused the loss of power.
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: 288 hours in all; 162 in this make and model; 16 in the last 90 days; 3 in the last 30 days; 158 as pilot in command
- Medical certificate: Class 3 (valid medical--w/ waivers/lim.)
- Seat: left
The aircraft
- Airframe total time: 9,585 hours
- Last inspection: 100-hour inspection, October 24, 1995; 46 hours since
- Maximum gross weight: 2,325 lb
- Seats: 4
- Landing gear: fixed
- Engine: Lycoming O-320-D36 (piston); 0 hours total
The flight
- Departed from: APF Naples FL at 1:30 pm
- Destination: MKY FL
- Flight plan: none
- Runway 0
Weather at the time
- Light: daylight
- Wind: from 040° at 13 knots, gusting 19
- Visibility: 10 statute miles
- Sky: clear
- Temperature: 57°F (14°C), dew point 39°F (4°C)
- Altimeter: 30.00 inHg
- Observation at 1:59 pm from APF, 21 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.
Other NTSB records under N970AC the same tail number, which may have belonged to a different aircraft at the time
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.