Smith, Ted Aerostar AEROSTAR 601P accident near Orlando, Florida, May 24, 1996
On May 24, 1996 at about 2:28 pm local time, a Smith, Ted Aerostar AEROSTAR 601P, registered N441CB, was substantially damaged in an accident near Orlando, Florida (Orlando International airport). It was a business 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
loss of power in both engines for undetermined reason(s).
Source: NTSB aviation accident database, copy made October 5, 2026. Docket and reports at the NTSB.
What the record shows
- Date
- May 24, 1996 · about 2:28 pm local time
- Place
- Orlando, Florida · Orlando International · map
- Type
- Accident
- Injuries
- No one was hurt; 2 people were on board or involved.
- Weather
- visual conditions (good weather)
- Aircraft
- Smith, Ted Aerostar AEROSTAR 601P AEROSTAR 6
- Registration
- N441CB · registry record · serial 0417-150
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Business flight · general aviation rules (Part 91)
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
During takeoff, the pilot retracted the landing gear, then a 'power loss' occurred at an altitude of about 150 feet AGL, followed by a 'rapid speed loss to Vmc...84 Knots.' The airplane was still over the runway, and the pilot elected to land straight ahead. After evacuating the airplane, he noted that the landing gear was in an intermediate position, and the right tire had blown out. During a postaccident interview, the pilot stated that both engines lost power just after takeoff. He stated that the left engine lost power first with its manifold pressure dropping from 40' hg to 25' hg, then the right engine had a 'partial loss of power.' Both engines were operationally checked, but no discrepancies were found with either engine during the test runs.
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: multi-engine land; instrument: airplane
- Flight time: 1,325 hours in all; 550 in this make and model; 54 in the last 90 days; 36 in the last 30 days; 1,282 as pilot in command
- Medical certificate: Class 3 (valid medical--w/ waivers/lim.)
- Seat: left
The aircraft
- Airframe total time: 3,155 hours
- Last inspection: annual inspection, March 31, 1996; 48 hours since
- Maximum gross weight: 6,356 lb
- Seats: 6
- Landing gear: retractable
- Engine: Lycoming IO-540-S1A5 (piston); 0 hours total
The flight
- Departed from: MCO at 2:28 pm
- Destination: GSP Greenville SC
- Flight plan: IFR
- Runway 18R, 12,004 ft by 150 ft
Weather at the time
- Light: daylight
- Wind: from 080° at 10 knots
- Visibility: 10 statute miles
- Sky: scat at 2,800 ft
- Temperature: 0°F (-18°C), dew point 0°F (-18°C)
- Altimeter: 30.00 inHg
- Observation at 2:41 pm from MCO
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.
Other NTSB records under N441CB 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.