# NTSB ERA25LA207: Piper PA-18-150, N38BS, Winter Haven, FL, March 29, 2025 - Type: NTSB accident investigation - Classification: Accident · No injuries · Class 4 · Limited · Final report - Date: March 29, 2025, 11:50 local (15:50 UTC) - Place: Winter Haven, FL - Coordinates: 28.061287, -81.761562 (estimated) - Nearby events: https://openairdocs.org/map.md?lat=28.0613&lon=-81.7616&mi=10 - Phase of flight: [Initial climb](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-phases/350) (OpenAirDocs' grouping) - Defining event: [Initial climb: Fuel starvation](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-events/191) - Highest injury: No injuries - Injuries: 2 uninjured - Status: Completed, report November 6, 2025 - Report: Approved by Office Director - Investigation class: Class 4 - Basic report with no Prelim publish - NTSB office: Eastern Region Aviation - Parties: FAA/FSDO - NTSB case key (mKey): 200189 - NTSB case page: https://web.ntsb.gov/investigations/?ntsbnumber=ERA25LA207 - NTSB report (PDF, downloads): https://data.ntsb.gov/carol-repgen/api/Aviation/ReportMain/GenerateNewestReport/200189/pdf - NTSB docket: https://data.ntsb.gov/Docket?ProjectID=200189 - Page: https://openairdocs.org/ntsb/ERA25LA207 ## Probable cause The pilot’s inadvertent movement of the fuel selector to a position that restricted fuel flow to the engine, which resulted in the loss of engine power during takeoff. ## Findings NTSB's coded findings; those marked are part of the probable cause. - [Use of equip/info: use of equip/system](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-findings/02063015): Personnel issues › Task performance · Student/instructed pilot (probable cause); cases with it: [Piper PA-18-150, 20 cases](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-findings/02063015/cases.md?model=7101828), [All aircraft, 1,391 cases](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-findings/02063015/cases.md) - [Fuel system: fuel selector/shutoff valve](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-findings/01022823): Aircraft › Aircraft systems · Incorrect use/operation (probable cause); cases with it: [Piper PA-18-150, 2 cases](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-findings/01022823/cases.md?model=7101828), [All aircraft, 176 cases](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-findings/01022823/cases.md) ## Sequence of events The events NTSB coded, in order, by phase of flight. The defining event best describes what happened. - [Initial climb: Fuel starvation](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-events/191) (defining event); cases with it: [Piper PA-18-150, 2 cases](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-events/191/sequence.md?model=7101828), [All aircraft, 733 cases](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-events/191/sequence.md) - [Initial climb: Loss of engine power (total)](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-events/341); cases with it: [Piper PA-18-150, 18 cases](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-events/341/sequence.md?model=7101828), [All aircraft, 3,820 cases](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-events/341/sequence.md) - [Landing-flare/touchdown: Hard landing](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-events/092); cases with it: [Piper PA-18-150, 10 cases](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-events/092/sequence.md?model=7101828), [All aircraft, 2,102 cases](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-events/092/sequence.md) ## Analysis During an instructional flight, the flight instructor and pilot receiving instruction took off from a lake and began a normal climb. At a height of about 200 to 300 feet, the engine began losing power, and the flight instructor assumed control of the airplane. As the instructor maneuvered the airplane away from marine traffic, the engine lost power completely. The airplane contacted the water hard, resulting in substantial damage to the left wing strut and fuselage. Postaccident examination of the airplane revealed that the fuel selector was not in the right fuel tank detent. The examination otherwise revealed no evidence of any preimpact mechanical malfunctions or failures of the engine or fuel system that would have precluded normal operation. The engine was later started and test run normally with the right fuel tank selected, and when the valve was positioned slightly out of the right fuel tank detent, the engine began losing power within about 30 seconds. Given this information, it is likely that the pilot inadvertently moved the fuel selector in a position that restricted fuel flow to the engine, which resulted in the loss of engine power during takeoff. ## Aircraft - Registration: [N38BS](https://openairdocs.org/aircraft/N38BS), registered now, S/N 18-8505 (OpenAirDocs) - Reported make and model: PIPER PA-18-150 - Registry model: [Piper PA-18-150](https://openairdocs.org/model/piper-pa-18-150) (registry code 7101828) (OpenAirDocs) - Registry engine: [Lycoming 0-320 series](https://openairdocs.org/engine/lycoming-0-320-series) (registry code 41508, reciprocating) (OpenAirDocs) - Category: Airplane - Serial number: 18-8505 - Year built: 1967 - Airframe hours: 7233.8 - Engines: Lycoming O-320-D2A 160 horsepower reciprocating - Damage: Substantial damage - Flight: Instructional, Part 91 - Operator: Jack Browns Seaplane Base Inc - Registered owner: Jack Browns Seaplane Base Inc - Airworthiness certificate: Standard, Normal - Last inspection: 100 hour, March 5, 2025, 47 hours before - Destination: Same as departure - Airport: F57, Jack Browns Seaplane Base, runway 19W, 3,600 × 2,200 ft, water - Equipment: ADS-B ## Flight crew As NTSB recorded them. NTSB leaves out names. - Pilot; age 32; injuries: none; flight instructor, commercial; airplane ratings: single-engine land, multi-engine land, single-engine sea; instrument ratings: airplane; medical: class 1, without waivers/limitations; last flight review November 23, 2024; seat: rear; restraint: 4-point; flight hours: 523.5 total, 112.2 in this make and model, 451 as pilot in command, 128.1 in the last 90 days, 44.8 in the last 30 days - Pilot; age 47; injuries: none; private, commercial; airplane ratings: single-engine land; instrument ratings: airplane; medical: class 1, waiver time limited special; last flight review April 15, 2024; seat: front; restraint: 4-point; flight hours: 464.1 total, 7 in this make and model, 270.5 as pilot in command, 90 in the last 90 days, 26.1 in the last 30 days, 3.9 in the last 24 hours ## Weather - Conditions: Visual (VMC), Day - Wind: 130° at 10 knots - Visibility: 10 statute miles - Temperature: 82 °F, dew point 61 °F - Altimeter: 30.18 inHg - Observed at: GIF - METAR: KGIF 291653Z AUTO 13010KT 100V160 10SM FEW044 28/16 A3018 RMK AO1 SLP218 T02780161 ## FAA reports on this event (1) The FAA's own accident and incident reports, matched to the aircraft by N-number and date (OpenAirDocs). - [Accident 20250329006769A](https://openairdocs.org/incident/20250329006769A), Mar 29, 2025: Piper PA-18-150, Winter Haven, FL, Substantial damage. Persons onboard CFI and pilot (trainee). On 03/29/2025, at approximately 11:50 EDT (1550Z), CFI was conducting an instructional flight, which resulted in an… ## Docket (6 files) The files NTSB released with the investigation on November 6, 2025, on NTSB's docket system: https://data.ntsb.gov/Docket?ProjectID=200189. 3.1 MB in all. - Pilot/operator aircraft accident report, NTSB form 6120.1 (item 1, PDF, 10 pages, 1.8 MB): https://data.ntsb.gov/Docket/Document/docBLOB?ID=18868340&FileExtension=pdf&FileName=6120_1_Form_Redacted-Rel.pdf - Pilot receiving instruction statement (item 2, PDF, 1 page, 80 KB): https://data.ntsb.gov/Docket/Document/docBLOB?ID=18868201&FileExtension=pdf&FileName=Seaplane_Lonnie%20Brasby-Rel.pdf - Memorandum for record a�� flight instructor (item 3, PDF, 3 pages, 79 KB): https://data.ntsb.gov/Docket/Document/docBLOB?ID=18867382&FileExtension=pdf&FileName=MOR%20CFI%20Statment-Rel.pdf - FAA inspector's statement (item 4, PDF, 2 pages, 234 KB): https://data.ntsb.gov/Docket/Document/docBLOB?ID=18967059&FileExtension=pdf&FileName=Mail%20-%20Inspectors%20statement_Redacted-Rel.pdf - Investigation photographs (item 5, PDF, 4 pages, 844 KB): https://data.ntsb.gov/Docket/Document/docBLOB?ID=19092674&FileExtension=pdf&FileName=Investigation%20Photographs-Rel.pdf - Mechanics statement (item 6, PDF, 1 page, 46 KB): https://data.ntsb.gov/Docket/Document/docBLOB?ID=19081817&FileExtension=pdf&FileName=N38BS%20Fuel%20Valve%20Statement%20(1)-Rel.pdf From the NTSB's public API. Aircraft are matched to registry aircraft by N-number and event date, checked against the reported serial number, make and model; the registry's history has gaps, so older matches can be wrong. Compare the reported make and model. --- OpenAirDocs.org is an independent research project of [Contrail Labs](https://contraillabs.com/). It is not affiliated with the FAA or the NTSB. Source documents are U.S. government works in the public domain.