# NTSB ERA26LA180: Piper PA-28-181, N643FT, Indiantown, FL, April 19, 2026 - Type: NTSB accident investigation - Classification: Accident · No injuries · Class 3 · Limited · Preliminary report - Date: April 18, 2026, 21:15 local (Apr 19, 2026, 01:15 UTC) - Place: Indiantown, FL · Hungryland Wildlife Area, in Swamp - Coordinates: 26.963647, -80.294236 (estimated) - Nearby events: https://openairdocs.org/map.md?lat=26.9636&lon=-80.2942&mi=10 - Phase of flight: [Enroute](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-phases/400) (OpenAirDocs' grouping) - Defining event: [Enroute: Loss of engine power (total)](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-events/341) - Highest injury: No injuries - Injuries: 1 uninjured - Status: Investigation ongoing - Investigation class: Class 3 - NTSB office: Eastern Region Aviation - Parties: FAA/FSDO - NTSB case key (mKey): 202852 - NTSB case page: https://web.ntsb.gov/investigations/?ntsbnumber=ERA26LA180 - NTSB preliminary report (PDF, downloads): https://data.ntsb.gov/carol-repgen/api/Aviation/ReportMain/GenerateNewestReport/202852/pdf - Page: https://openairdocs.org/ntsb/ERA26LA180 ## Preliminary report On April 18, 2026, about 2115 eastern daylight time, a Piper PA-28-181, N643FT, was substantially damaged when it was involved in an accident near Indiantown, Florida. The private pilot was not injured. The airplane was operated as a Title 14 Code of Federal Regulations Part 91 instructional flight. According to the pilot, the purpose of the flight was to perform a night flight to a non-towered airport, then return to the departure airport, as part of his flight training curriculum. He arrived at Melbourne Orlando International Airport (MLB), Melbourne, Florida, around 1400 to plan the flight. The flight plan was completed then reviewed by the flight school’s dispatch staff. About 1915, the pilot performed a preflight inspection of the airplane and did not observe any anomalies. Based on the electronic fuel gauges and by visual inspection of the fuel tanks, the pilot determined he had full fuel; however, he separately reported 40 gallons (the airplane’s total fuel capacity was 50 gallons). He then started the engine, taxied the airplane to the active runway and performed an engine runup. The engine runup was normal and included a check of the magnetos and carburetor heat functionality. The pilot departed from MLB at 1941 and landed at Palm Beach County Park Airport (LNA), West Palm Beach, Florida, after an uneventful flight, about 2045. The pilot taxied back to runway 10 and departed at 2051, for the return flight to MLB. After departure, he maneuvered to the west to avoid nearby controlled airspace and then proceeded northbound. He climbed to 3,500 ft above mean sea level (msl) then performed the cruise checklist. About 25 minutes after departure, the airplane experienced a loss of engine power. The pilot reported that the engine rpm suddenly decreased from 2,600 to 800. He attempted to troubleshoot but was unable to restart the engine. The pilot stated that he thought he changed the fuel tanks after the loss of engine power, but that he “could be wrong.” He then declared “mayday” to air traffic control, secured the engine and prepared for a forced landing. The pilot initially attempted to divert to a nearby airport but determined that the airplane could not reach the airport and then prepared for an off-airport landing on a road. Shortly before landing, the pilot noticed cars driving on the road. The airplane subsequently touched down in a marsh, nosed over and came to rest inverted. The pilot exited the airplane through a window. A postaccident examination of the airplane by an FAA inspector found substantial damage to the empennage and fuselage. The inspector “rocked” the wings of the airplane and heard liquid sloshing back and forth in both fuel tanks, but was unable to open the tanks due to the position of the airplane. First responders noted fluid leaking from both wings. The wreckage was recovered and retained for further examination. ## Sequence of events The events NTSB coded, in order, by phase of flight. The defining event best describes what happened. - [Enroute: Loss of engine power (total)](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-events/341) (defining event); cases with it: [Piper PA-28-181, 26 cases](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-events/341/sequence.md?model=7102807), [All aircraft, 3,820 cases](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-events/341/sequence.md) ## Aircraft - Registration: [N643FT](https://openairdocs.org/aircraft/N643FT), registered now, S/N 2843703, built 2013 (OpenAirDocs) - Reported make and model: PIPER AIRCRAFT INC PA-28-181 - Registry model: [Piper PA-28-181](https://openairdocs.org/model/piper-pa-28-181) (registry code 7102832) (OpenAirDocs) - Registry engine: [Lycoming O-360-A4M](https://openairdocs.org/engine/lycoming-o-360-a4m) (registry code 42276, 4 cycle) (OpenAirDocs) - Category: Airplane - Serial number: 2843703 - Year built: 2013 - Airframe hours: 8136 - Damage: Substantial damage - Flight: Instructional, Part 91 - Operator: Florida Institute Of Technology - Registered owner: Florida Institute Of Technology - Airworthiness certificate: Standard, Utility; Standard, Normal - Last inspection: 100 hour, March 16, 2026, 88 hours before - Departed: LNA, Lantana, FL - Destination: MLB, Melbourne, FL - Equipment: ADS-B, Auto-pilot, Electronic primary flight display, Electronic multifunction display ## Weather - Conditions: Visual (VMC), Night/dark - Wind: 110° at 6 knots - Visibility: 10 statute miles - Lowest ceiling: none - Temperature: 75 °F, dew point 70 °F - Altimeter: 29.98 inHg - Observed at: F45 - METAR: KF45 190015Z AUTO 11006KT 10SM CLR 24/21 A2998 RMK AO2METAR ## 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 20260418003739A](https://openairdocs.org/incident/20260418003739A), Apr 18, 2026: Piper Aircraft Inc PA-28-181, Indian Town, FL, Substantial damage. On April 18, 2026, [privacy data omitted], serial number [privacy data omitted], registration N643FT with a private pilot radioed a mayday call on 128.3. Pbi… 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.