# Accident 20140208001799A: Piper PA-28-161, St. Lucie, FL, February 8, 2014

- Type: FAA accident report (Accident/Incident Data System), as reported
- Date: February 8, 2014, 10:41 local time
- Place: St. Lucie, FL
- Airport: St. Lucie
- Damage: Destroyed
- Phase of flight: Cruise/Level Flight
- Operating rules: General operating rules (Part 91)
- Location: 27.1681° N, 80.1425° W: From the FAA
- Nearby events: https://openairdocs.org/map.md?lat=27.1681&lon=-80.1425&mi=10
- Aircraft: N2571U, a cancelled registration (https://openairdocs.org/deregistered/N2571U-2017-10-25) (OpenAirDocs)
- Registry model: Piper PA-28-161 (registry code 7102803, https://openairdocs.org/model/piper-pa-28-161) (OpenAirDocs)
- Registry engine: Lycoming 0-320 series (registry code 41508, https://openairdocs.org/engine/lycoming-0-320-series) (OpenAirDocs)
- Reported make and model: PIPER PA-28-161
- Reported engine: LYCOMING 0-320 SERIES
- People aboard: 1
- Fatal injuries: 1
- Other injuries: 0
- Pilot certificates: Commercial pilot, flight instructor
- NTSB investigation: [NTSB ERA14LA117](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb/ERA14LA117) (OpenAirDocs)
- FAA source: FAA Aviation Safety Information Portal (https://asip.faa.gov/)
- Page: https://openairdocs.org/incident/20140208001799A

## Narrative

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

ON 2/8/14, THE AIRCRAFT OWNER,

CONTACTED THE MIAMI ARTCC WATCH DESK SEEKING ASSISTANCE IN LOCATING HIS AIRCRAFT, WHICH HAD BEEN RENTED

FROM HIM. RENTERS HAD BEEN INSTRUCTED TO EMAIL THE OWNER UPON LANDING AT DESTINATION, AND OWNER HAD NOT RECEIVED SUCH NOTIFICATION FOR N2571U ON 2/7/14, WHEN THE FLIGHT WAS TO FLY FROM MTH TO VRB. REVIEW OF AUDIO AND RADAR DATA REVEALED THAT ZMA HAD PROVIDED FLIGHT FOLLOWING TO N2571U

BETWEEN MTH UNTIL TRANSFERRING RADAR AND COMMUNICATION TO HST APPROACH CONTROL. AFTER TRANSITIONING THROUGH HST/MIA APPROACH AND PBI APPROACH

AIRSPACE, N2571U CONTACTED THE ZMA VRB TERMINAL SECTOR RADAR CONTROLLER (R3) AT 0026 UTC (2/8/14), REPORTING THAT HE WAS FIFTEEN MILES SOUTH OF FPR

AT 450 FEET. N2571U ALSO ADVISED THAT HE WAS DIVERTING FROM HIS INTENDED INITIAL DESTINATION OF VRB TO FPR, BECAUSE OF IFR CONDITIONS AT VRB. THE R3

CONTROLLER ADVISED N2571U THAT HE WOULD NOT BE ABLE TO PROVIDE FLIGHT FOLLOWING AT THAT LOW ALTITUDE AND THAT THE MINIMUM SAFE ALTITUDE IN THE VICINITY OF VRB WAS 1,600 FEET. N2571U ACKNOWLEDGED THE INFORMATION. NO FURTHER COMMUNICATION WITH N2571U OCCURRED AFTER THIS EXCHANGE. AIRCRAFT PARTS WERE FOUND OFF FLORIDA EAST COAST THAT ASSISTED IN IDENTIFYING AIRCRAFT N2571U. PART FOUND WAS A FLAP GAP SEAL STC KIT THAT TIES PART TO AIRCRAFT.

## 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 ERA14LA117](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb/ERA14LA117), Feb 8, 2014: Piper PA-28-161 (N2571U), Stuart, FL, destroyed, 1 fatal. Probable cause: The noninstrument-rated pilot’s continued flight into dark night, instrument meteorological conditions, which resulted in a loss of control due to spatial disorientation and subsequent impact with…

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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