Canadair T-33 accident near Punta Gorda, Florida, September 7, 1996
On September 7, 1996 at about 1:40 pm local time, a Canadair T-33, registered N99195, was substantially damaged in an accident near Punta Gorda, Florida (Charlotte County airport). It was a ferry flight under general aviation rules (Part 91). 1 person had minor injuries. The weather was visual conditions (good weather).
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The NTSB's probable cause their words, unchanged
failure of the pilot to extend the wing flaps for takeoff, and his failure to attain sufficient airspeed for flight with the flaps retracted, which resulted in a stall/mush after lift-off.
Source: NTSB aviation accident database, copy made October 4, 2026. Docket and reports at the NTSB.
What the record shows
- Date
- September 7, 1996 · about 1:40 pm local time
- Place
- Punta Gorda, Florida · Charlotte County · map
- Type
- Accident
- Injuries
- 1 person had minor injuries.
- Weather
- visual conditions (good weather)
- Aircraft
- Canadair T-33 · all T-33s on the register
- Registration
- N99195 · no longer on the register · serial 236
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Ferry flight · general aviation rules (Part 91)
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
After takeoff, the aircraft began to mush and would not accelerate. The pilot landed straight ahead in a field. After the aircraft came to rest, the pilot exited the aircraft, and the engine continued to run, causing a fire in the field. The pilot reported to an FAA inspector that the engine developed 100 percent power for takeoff and that he did not use wing flaps for takeoff. The checklist, which was found in the aircraft, required that wing flaps be set to 32 degrees for takeoff. A review of the aircraft flight manual showed that there were no performance charts for taking off with the wing flaps retracted.
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: airline transport pilot
- Ratings: multi-engine land; multi-engine sea; single-engine land; single-engine sea; instrument: airplane; rotorcraft: glider
- Flight time: 20,000 hours in all; 50 in this make and model; 25 in the last 90 days; 25 in the last 30 days
- Medical certificate: Class 1 (valid medical--w/ waivers/lim.)
- Seat: frt
The aircraft
- Last inspection: annual inspection, June 15, 1995; 80 hours since
- Maximum gross weight: 16,800 lb
- Seats: 2
- Landing gear: retractable
- Engine: Rolls-Royce NENE 10 (turbojet); 0 hours total
- Fire on the ground
The flight
- Departed from: PGD at 1:40 pm
- Destination: ORL Orlando FL
- Flight plan: none
- Runway 15, 5,049 ft by 150 ft
Weather at the time
- Light: daylight
- Wind: from 070° at 4 knots
- Visibility: 15 statute miles
- Sky: scat at 20,000 ft
- Temperature: 81°F (27°C), dew point 79°F (26°C)
- Altimeter: 29.00 inHg
- Observation at 1:47 pm from FMY, 20 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.
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 MIA96LA228.