Piper PA-23-250 accident near St Petersburg, Florida, July 17, 1996
On July 17, 1996 at about 6:35 pm local time, a Piper PA-23-250, registered N6819Y, was substantially damaged in an accident near St Petersburg, Florida (Albert Whitted 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 due to fuel contamination, which resulted in a forced landing (ditching) in water. Factors relating to the accident were: an inadquate annual inspection by maintenance personnel, and an inadequate preflight inspection by the pilot.
Source: NTSB aviation accident database, copy made October 5, 2026. Docket and reports at the NTSB.
What the record shows
- Date
- July 17, 1996 · about 6:35 pm local time
- Place
- St Petersburg, Florida · Albert Whitted · map
- Type
- Accident
- Injuries
- No one was hurt; 1 person was on board or involved.
- Weather
- visual conditions (good weather)
- Aircraft
- Piper PA-23-250 · all PA-23-250s on the register
- Registration
- N6819Y · no longer on the register · serial 27-4158
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Personal flight · general aviation rules (Part 91)
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
The pilot departed on a flight on the day after an annual inspection had been completed. After departing, he reported, the right engine was 'running rough.' The control tower cleared him for an emergency landing back at the airport. While returing, the pilot was unable to maintain altitude, and the flight impacted water about 1 mile south of the airport. According to the pilot's statement, he was flying westbound over water, when the right engine 'stopped.' He stated that he 'secured' the right engine, and about 1 minute later, the left engine 'stopped.' He 'secured' the left engine, and the airplane 'hit water.' The pilot stated that he was in the air about 15 minutes when the loss of engine power occurred. Examination of the right engine revealed, there was rusty water in the sediment bowl at the fire wall; rusty water and contamination were also found in the respective fuel servo screen. The left engine sediment bowl was found dry; the respective fuel servo screen was found with rust stains and contamination with 'trash' in the screen. The fuel selector valves operated without any discrepancies. No preimpact mechanical discrepancy was found with either engine.
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; single-engine land
- Flight time: 721 hours in all
- Medical certificate: Class 2 (valid medical--no waivers/lim.)
- Seat: left
The aircraft
- Airframe total time: 4,691 hours
- Last inspection: annual inspection, July 16, 1996; 1 hours since
- Maximum gross weight: 5,200 lb
- Seats: 6
- Landing gear: retractable
- Engine: Lycoming TIO-540-C1A (piston); 0 hours total
- Operator: L C E INC.
The flight
- Departed from: SPG at 6:15 pm
- Destination: FD06 Watchula FL
- Flight plan: none
- Runway 0
Weather at the time
- Light: daylight
- Wind: from 060° at 5 knots
- Visibility: 13 statute miles
- Sky: broken clouds at 1,500 ft; not recorded
- Temperature: 90°F (32°C), dew point 75°F (24°C)
- Altimeter: 30.00 inHg
- Observation at 5:18 pm from SPG, 1 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.