# Accident 20030720015989A: Piper PA23250, Fort Pierce, FL, July 20, 2003

- Type: FAA accident report (Accident/Incident Data System), as reported
- Date: July 20, 2003, 14:00 local time
- Place: Fort Pierce, FL
- Airport: Treasure Coast Airpark Airport
- Damage: Destroyed
- Phase of flight: Roll-Out (Fixed Wing)
- Operating rules: General operating rules (Part 91)
- Location: 27.2383° N, 80.4914° W: From the FAA
- Nearby events: https://openairdocs.org/map.md?lat=27.2383&lon=-80.4914&mi=10
- Aircraft: N5224Y, a cancelled registration (https://openairdocs.org/deregistered/N5224Y-2003-11-22) (OpenAirDocs)
- Registry model: Piper PA-23-250 (registry code 7102308, https://openairdocs.org/model/piper-pa-23-250) (OpenAirDocs)
- Registry engine: Lycoming 0-540 series (registry code 41532, https://openairdocs.org/engine/lycoming-0-540-series) (OpenAirDocs)
- Reported make and model: PIPER PA23250
- Reported engine: LYC O540*
- People aboard: 2
- Fatal injuries: 0
- Pilot flight hours: 4,400 total, 1,000 in this make and model, 8 in the last 90 days
- NTSB investigation: [NTSB MIA03LA145](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb/MIA03LA145) (OpenAirDocs)
- FAA source: FAA Aviation Safety Information Portal (https://asip.faa.gov/)
- Page: https://openairdocs.org/incident/20030720015989A

## Narrative

As the FAA filed it, in capitals; the FAA replaces private details with ^PRIVACY DATA OMITTED^.

(-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.

## The NTSB's investigation of this event (1)

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.

- [NTSB MIA03LA145](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb/MIA03LA145), Jul 20, 2003: Piper PA-23-250 (N5224Y), Fort Pierce, FL, substantial damage. Probable cause: The pilot's failure to maintain directional control of the airplane during landing roll resulting in collision with trees after the airplane departed the runway.

From the FAA Accident/Incident Data System. Reports are matched to registry aircraft 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. For accidents, the NTSB's own investigation is the fuller record.

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