Piper PA 34-220T accident near Clewiston, Florida, April 20, 2018
On April 20, 2018 at about 9:00 pm local time, a 1981 Piper PA 34-220T, registered N8404B, was substantially damaged in an accident during takeoff near Clewiston, Florida (Airglades airport). It was a personal flight under general aviation rules (Part 91). No one was hurt; 4 people were on board or involved. The weather was visual conditions (good weather).
The NTSB's probable cause their words, unchanged
The pilot's failure to maintain directional control during takeoff following an overboost of the right engine during takeoff.
Source: NTSB aviation accident database, copy made October 5, 2026. Docket and reports at the NTSB.
What the record shows
- Date
- April 20, 2018 · about 9:00 pm local time
- Place
- Clewiston, Florida · Airglades · map
- Type
- Accident
- Injuries
- No one was hurt; 4 people were on board or involved.
- Weather
- visual conditions (good weather)
- Aircraft
- Piper PA 34-220T 220T, built 1981 · all PA 34-220Ts on the register
- Registration
- N8404B · no longer on the register · serial 34-8133142
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Personal flight · general aviation rules (Part 91)
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
The pilot was performing touch-and-go takeoffs and landings in the airport traffic pattern. After touching down, the pilot retracted the flaps and advanced both throttles to takeoff power. Shortly thereafter, he felt the airplane yaw to the right, observed an overboost indicator light for the right engine, and the airplane exited the right side of the runway. The pilot said that once the airplane was in the grass, he regained control of the airplane and reduced both engines to idle power; however, the airplane impacted the edge of a crossing taxiway and briefly became airborne before landing on the opposite side of the taxiway, resulting in substantial damage. Postaccident examination of the airplane did not reveal any evidence of any preexisting mechanical malfunction of the engines or turbocharger systems that would have precluded normal operation. The circumstances of the accident are consistent with the pilot's failure to maintain directional control following an inadvertent overboost of the right engine during takeoff.
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
What happened, in order
- Loss of control on ground during takeoff
- Runway excursion during takeoff defining event
- Collision with terrain or object (not controlled flight into terrain) during takeoff (rejected takeoff)
The NTSB's findings
- cause Personnel issues › Task performance › Use of equip/info › Use of equip/system › Pilot
- cause Aircraft › Aircraft power plant › Turbocharging (recip only) › Turbocharger › Capability exceeded
- cause Personnel issues › Task performance › Use of equip/info › Aircraft control › Pilot
- Aircraft › Aircraft oper/perf/capability › Performance/control parameters › Directional control › Not attained/maintained
Pilot
- Certificate: airline transport pilot, foreign licence
- Ratings: multi-engine land; single-engine land; instrument: airplane
- Flight time: 1,950 hours in all; 25 in this make and model; 46 in the last 90 days; 25 in the last 30 days
- Medical certificate: Class 1 (without waivers/limitations)
- Seat: left
- Injury: no injuries
The aircraft
- Airframe total time: 3,546.2 hours
- Last inspection: annual inspection, January 30, 2018; 15 hours since
- Landing gear: fixed
- Engine 1: Cont Motor LTSIO-360-KB1 (piston); 0 hours total
- Engine 2: Cont Motor TSIO-3600-KB3 (piston); 0 hours total
The flight
- Departed from: Lakeland FL at 7:50 pm
- Destination: 2IS Clewiston FL
- Flight plan: none
- Runway 31, 5,901 ft by 75 ft
- A second pilot was aboard
Weather at the time
- Light: daylight
- Visibility: 10 statute miles
- Sky: clear
- Temperature: 84°F (29°C), dew point 57°F (14°C)
- Altimeter: 30.04 inHg
- Observation at 9:15 pm from KOBE, 34 miles away
Injuries
| Fatal | Serious | Minor | None | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Flight crew | 1 | |||
| Passengers | 3 |
Documents from the investigation the NTSB's docket: the evidence folder behind the report
4 documents, released by the NTSB on February 18, 2021. View them here, or download them; the NTSB redacts some personal details before release, and this site shows the NTSB's own titles rather than its file names.
| # | Document | What it is | |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Pilot/operator Aircraft Accident Report, NTSB Form 6120.1 | PDF, 14 pages | View Download |
| 2 | Passenger Statement | PDF, 2 pages | View Download |
| 3 | Continental Motors Engine Exam Reports | PDF, 53 pages | View Download |
| 4 | Statement of Party Representatives to NTSB Investigation | PDF, 1 page | View Download |
The same docket at the NTSB · documents without a copy here are fetched from the NTSB when you open them.
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.