# Accident 20050507010829A: Piper PA28140, Fort Pierce, FL, May 7, 2005

- Type: FAA accident report (Accident/Incident Data System), as reported
- Date: May 7, 2005, 20:51 local time
- Place: Fort Pierce, FL
- Airport: St Lucie County International
- Damage: Substantial damage
- Phase of flight: Fcd/Prec Ldg From Cruise
- Operating rules: General operating rules (Part 91)
- Location: 27.4833° N, 80.2000° W: From the FAA
- Nearby events: https://openairdocs.org/map.md?lat=27.4833&lon=-80.2000&mi=10
- Aircraft: N98117, a cancelled registration (https://openairdocs.org/deregistered/N98117-2013-05-30) (OpenAirDocs)
- Registry model: Piper PA-28-140 (registry code 7102802, https://openairdocs.org/model/piper-pa-28-140) (OpenAirDocs)
- Registry engine: Lycoming 0-320 series (registry code 41508, https://openairdocs.org/engine/lycoming-0-320-series) (OpenAirDocs)
- Reported make and model: PIPER PA28140
- Fatal injuries: 0
- Pilot flight hours: 245 total, 100 in this make and model, 15 in the last 90 days
- NTSB investigation: [NTSB MIA05CA100](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb/MIA05CA100) (OpenAirDocs)
- FAA source: FAA Aviation Safety Information Portal (https://asip.faa.gov/)
- Page: https://openairdocs.org/incident/20050507010829A

## Narrative

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

(-23) AIRCRAFT WAS PREFLIGHTED PRIOR TO PLANNED 1430EDT DEPARTURE. PILOT STATED THAT HE HAD 30 GALS OF FUEL DURING PREFLIGHT. PILOT RECEIVED WEATHER BRIEFING FROM FLIGHT SERVICE. WINDS FROM MARSH HARBOR BAHAMAS TO FORT PIERCE, FL WERE ESTIMATED TO BE 060/09 KTS BETWEEN 6,000FT/9,000FT. STRAIGHT LINE DISTANCE BETWEEN MARSH HARBOR, BI AND FORT PIERCE, FL IS 185.6 NM. PILOT FILED A VFR FLIGHT PLAN FROM MARSH BARBOR DIRECT TO FORT PIERCE, FL. PILOT STATED THAT HE DEPARTED MARSH HARBOR, AS PLANNED, AT APPROXIMATELY 1430 EDT. PILOT STATED THAT HE ENCOUNTERED STORNGER THAN FORECAST WINDS AFTER DEPARTURE FROM MARSH HARBOR, BI. PILOT STATED THAT HE CONTACTED FLIGHT SERVICE AND ADVISED THEM THAT HE WAS ENCOUNTERING STRONGER THAN FORECAST WINDS. THE PILOT STATED THAT HE WAS ADVISED BY FLIGHT SERVICE THAT THE WINDS SHOULD BE DROPPING OFF SOON. THE PILOT CONTINUED THE FLIGHT TO FORT PIERCE, FL EVEN THOUGH THE WINDS WERE STRONGER THAN FORECAST WITH THE HOPE THAT THE WINDS WOULD DROP OFF SOON. BECAUSE OF THE PILOT'S LIMITED FLIGHT EXPERIENCE, HE CONTINUED THE FLIGHT PAST THE POINT WHERE DIVERTING FOR FUEL WAS NOT AN OPTION. THE PILOT EXHAUSTED FUEL SUPPLY AND THE ENGINE STOPPED RUNNING APPROXIMATELY 10 MILES BEFORE REACHING HIS DESTINATION OF FORT PIERCE, FL. THE PILOT SUCCESSFULLY DITCHED HIS AIRCRAFT IN THE ATLANTIC OCEAN APPROXIMATELY 4 MILES FROM THE FORT PIERCE, FL AIRPORT AT APPROXIMATELY 1651 EDT. THE PILOT AND HIS PASSENGER (WIFE) SAFELY EGRESSED THE AIRCRAFT WITH ONLY MINOR INJURIES. THE COAST GUARD SAFELY RESCUED BOTH THE PILOT AND HIS PASSENGER. THE AIRCRAFT SANK IN THE ATLANTIC OCEAN AND WAS NOT RECOVERED. THE PILOT WAS COUNSELED BY ME, A PILOT WITH EXTENSIVE OVERWATER EXPERIENCE, ABOUT HOW TO PROPERLY FLIGHT PLAN AND CONDUCT AN OVERWATER FLIGHT.

## 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 MIA05CA100](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb/MIA05CA100), May 7, 2005: Piper PA-28-140 (N98117), Fort Pierce, FL, destroyed. Probable cause: The pilot's inadequate in-flight planning/decision which resulted in fuel exhaustion. A contributing factor in the accident was the pilot's inadequate preflight planning/preparation to ensure an…

## Other reports on N98117 (1)

Matched to the same aircraft by N-number and date.

- [Accident 20000626036959A](https://openairdocs.org/incident/20000626036959A), Jun 26, 2000: Piper PA28140 (N98117), Grant, MI, No damage. (-23) The aircraft departed oic. They climbed to about 200' AGL and encountered turbulence. The aircraft stalled and the pilot elected to turn to the left and…

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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