20030720015989A

Accident · Destroyed

FAA accident report · Piper PA-23-250 · Fort Pierce, FL · July 20, 2003

Date: July 20, 2003 · 14:00 local
Place: Fort Pierce, FL
Airport: Treasure Coast Airpark Airport
Phase of flight: Roll-Out (Fixed Wing)
Operating rules: General operating rules (Part 91)
Damage: Destroyed
Aircraft: N5224Y
NTSB investigation: NTSBMIA03LA145
Reported as: Piper PA23250
Reported engine: Lycoming O540*
People aboard: 2
Fatal injuries: 0
Pilot’s flight hours: 4,400 total1,000 in this make and model8 in the last 90 days

N5224YRegistration cancelled Nov 22, 2003 · Piper PA-23-250S/N 27-2272 · Built 1963 Airframe modelPiper PA-23-250 Engine modelLycoming 0-540 seriesReciprocating

From the FAA’s Accident/Incident Data System (AIDS), through its Aviation Safety Information Portal, as reported. The NTSB investigates accidents separately, and its record of an accident is the fuller one. The aircraft is matched to the registry by N-number and event date, checked against the reported make and model; the registry’s history has gaps, so older matches can be wrong. Compare the reported make and model.

What happened

The FAA’s narrative, in sentence case. The FAA writes it in capitals and removes private details.

(-23) On July 20, 2003, at approximately 1400 EDT, a Piper PA-23-250 aircraft departed the runway to the left side upon landing, struck a tree causing the separation of the right wing at the root. The aircraft suffered other extensive damage as well. The aircraft was being operated on a local sight seeing flight by a commercial rated pilot who had owned the aircraft since 1963, VFR weather prevailed at the time. The pilot stated that on landing the aircraft veered to the left and he was unable to stop it. A witness stated that he had known the pilot for many years and that the aircraft had made two attempts to land and was pitching up and down. Generally flying radically, he further stated that the pilot "does not fly that way". The pilot owner operators 14 year old grandson was seated in a pilot seat. No evidence of nose wheel failure was discovered.

As the FAA filed it

(-23) ON JULY 20, 2003, AT APPROXIMATELY 1400 EDT, A PIPER PA-23-250 AIRCRAFT DEPARTED THE RUNWAY TO THE LEFT SIDE UPON LANDING, STRUCK A TREE CAUSING THE SEPARATION OF THE RIGHT WING AT THE ROOT. THE AIRCRAFT SUFFERED OTHER EXTENSIVE DAMAGE AS WELL. THE AIRCRAFT WAS BEING OPERATED ON A LOCAL SIGHT SEEING FLIGHT BY A COMMERCIAL RATED PILOT WHO HAD OWNED THE AIRCRAFT SINCE 1963, VFR WEATHER PREVAILED AT THE TIME. THE PILOT STATED THAT ON LANDING THE AIRCRAFT VEERED TO THE LEFT AND HE WAS UNABLE TO STOP IT. A WITNESS STATED THAT HE HAD KNOWN THE PILOT FOR MANY YEARS AND THAT THE AIRCRAFT HAD MADE TWO ATTEMPTS TO LAND AND WAS PITCHING UP AND DOWN. GENERALLY FLYING RADICALLY, HE FURTHER STATED THAT THE PILOT "DOES NOT FLY THAT WAY". THE PILOT OWNER OPERATORS 14 YEAR OLD GRANDSON WAS SEATED IN A PILOT SEAT. NO EVIDENCE OF NOSE WHEEL FAILURE WAS DISCOVERED.

NTSB investigation

The NTSB’s investigation of this event, with its probable cause and findings. Matched to this report by N-number and date.

NTSB MIA03LA145Accident · Minor injuriesLimited investigationFinal reportFort Pierce, FLThe pilot's failure to maintain directional control of the airplane during landing roll resulting in collision with trees after the airplane departed the runway.Jul 20, 2003 · Substantial damage