What happened
The FAA’s narrative, in sentence case. The FAA writes it in capitals and removes private details.
Pilot departed naples municipal airport (opf) at about 10 am local time, in his Piper comanche PA24-260, registration N254WM, to perform touch and goes at Everglades Airpark (X01). Flight was normal until final approach to runway 15. Pilot overshot the runway and the aircraft stayed in ground effect never landing or touching the runway. By the time the pilot realized that there wasn?t any runway left to land safely the gear of the aircraft struck a small mangrove tree flipping the aircraft into the bay. Aircraft ended up resting upside down in 5 to 7 feet of water. Pilot egress the aircraft and walked to shore. Pilot did not suffer and injuries, emergency medical personnel arrived on scene, examined the pilot and released him on the spot.
As the FAA filed it
PILOT DEPARTED NAPLES MUNICIPAL AIRPORT (OPF) AT ABOUT 10 AM LOCAL TIME, IN HIS PIPER COMANCHE PA24-260, REGISTRATION N254WM, TO PERFORM TOUCH AND GOES AT EVERGLADES AIRPARK (X01). FLIGHT WAS NORMAL UNTIL FINAL APPROACH TO RUNWAY 15. PILOT OVERSHOT THE RUNWAY AND THE AIRCRAFT STAYED IN GROUND EFFECT NEVER LANDING OR TOUCHING THE RUNWAY. BY THE TIME THE PILOT REALIZED THAT THERE WASN?T ANY RUNWAY LEFT TO LAND SAFELY THE GEAR OF THE AIRCRAFT STRUCK A SMALL MANGROVE TREE FLIPPING THE AIRCRAFT INTO THE BAY. AIRCRAFT ENDED UP RESTING UPSIDE DOWN IN 5 TO 7 FEET OF WATER. PILOT EGRESS THE AIRCRAFT AND WALKED TO SHORE. PILOT DID NOT SUFFER AND INJURIES, EMERGENCY MEDICAL PERSONNEL ARRIVED ON SCENE, EXAMINED THE PILOT AND RELEASED HIM ON THE SPOT.
NTSB investigation
The NTSB’s investigation of this event, with its probable cause and findings. Matched to this report by N-number and date.
Other reports on N254WM · 1
Matched to the same aircraft by N-number and date.