Piper PA-28-140 accident near Sanford, Florida, June 26, 1997
On June 26, 1997 at about 9:35 pm local time, a Piper PA-28-140, registered N859KW, was substantially damaged in an accident near Sanford, Florida (Orlando Sanford 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
Failure of the oil cooler radiator hose which resulted in oil exhaustion and subsequent engine failure. Contributing to the accident was the failure of the FAA to require a recurrent detailed examination and or require those hoses be life limited to prevent failure. Also, unsuitable terrain encountered by the pilot during the emergency descent for a forced landing.
Source: NTSB aviation accident database, copy made October 5, 2026. Docket and reports at the NTSB.
What the record shows
- Date
- June 26, 1997 · about 9:35 pm local time
- Place
- Sanford, Florida · Orlando Sanford Airport · map
- Type
- Accident
- Injuries
- No one was hurt; 1 person was on board or involved.
- Weather
- visual conditions (good weather)
- Aircraft
- Piper PA-28-140 · all PA-28-140s on the register
- Registration
- N859KW · no longer on the register · serial 28-25607
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Personal flight · general aviation rules (Part 91)
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
Shortly after takeoff during level cruise flight at 1,500 feet, the engine rpm began decreasing. The pilot applied full throttle but the engine rpm continued decreasing to engine failure. While descending for a forced landing in a field, the airplane collided with and remained suspended in trees. Post crash examination of the engine revealed that the flexible oil radiator hose from the engine driven oil pump to the oil cooler was failed about 27 inches forward of the engine driven oil pump outlet. Review of the maintenance records revealed that the failed hose was last replaced on May 1, 1977, in accordance with a non-repetitive Airworthiness Directive. The airplane had accumulated 2,388.1 hours since replacement 20 years 1 month and 25 days earlier. The hose is a on-condition item.
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: 406 hours in all; 12 in the last 90 days; 8 in the last 30 days; 378 as pilot in command
- Medical certificate: Class 3 (valid medical--w/ waivers/lim.)
- Seat: left
The aircraft
- Airframe total time: 4,309 hours
- Last inspection: annual inspection, September 9, 1996; 75 hours since
- Maximum gross weight: 2,150 lb
- Seats: 4
- Landing gear: fixed
- Engine: Lycoming O-320-E2A (piston); 0 hours total
The flight
- Departed from: SFB at 9:33 pm
- Flight plan: none
- Runway 0
Weather at the time
- Light: daylight
- Wind: from 310° at 10 knots
- Visibility: 10 statute miles
- Sky: clear
- Temperature: 79°F (26°C), dew point 73°F (23°C)
- Altimeter: 30.00 inHg
- Observation at 9:35 pm from SFB
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.