20181213023499A

Accident · Substantial damage

FAA accident report · Czech Sport PIPER SPORT · Punta Gorda, FL · December 13, 2018

Date: December 13, 2018 · 13:18 local
Place: Punta Gorda, FL
Phase of flight: Landing: Approach
Operating rules: General operating rules (Part 91)
Damage: Substantial damage
Aircraft: N145MM
NTSB investigation: NTSBERA19LA065
Reported as: Czech Sport Piper Sport
Reported engine: ROTAX 912ULS
People aboard: 1
Fatal injuries: 0
Other injuries: 0
Pilot’s certificate: Private pilot
Pilot’s flight hours: 2,576 total569 in this make and model40 in the last 90 days

N145MMRegistration cancelled Aug 2, 2020 · Czech Sport PIPER SPORTS/N P1001063 · Built 2010 Airframe modelCzech Sport PIPER SPORT Engine modelRotax 912ULS series4 cycle

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.

On December 13, 2018, at approximately 1:18 pm local time N145MM crashed while trying to land in a residential area after having a loss of power, about 1 mile north of Punta Gorda (pgd) airport in Punta Gorda, Florida. The pilot exited the aircraft without injury. Fire rescue and sherriff department were on scene.

Inspector observation at crash site: it appears the aircraft struck a light pole with the right wing (aircraft was about 5 feet off the ground) causing the aircraft to spin to the left, impact a chain link fence and the left wing impacted a street sign. The nose gear was bent under aircraft, right wing tip separated from right wing. Both wings were substantially damaged. Both left and right fuel tanks were found to be intact and at nearly full capacity. Fuel selector was turned to the off position by pilot before exiting the aircraft.

This record will be updated after engine teardown is completed.

As the FAA filed it

ON DECEMBER 13, 2018, AT APPROXIMATELY 1:18 PM LOCAL TIME N145MM CRASHED WHILE TRYING TO LAND IN A RESIDENTIAL AREA AFTER HAVING A LOSS OF POWER, ABOUT 1 MILE NORTH OF PUNTA GORDA (PGD) AIRPORT IN PUNTA GORDA, FLORIDA. THE PILOT EXITED THE AIRCRAFT WITHOUT INJURY. FIRE RESCUE AND SHERRIFF DEPARTMENT WERE ON SCENE.

INSPECTOR OBSERVATION AT CRASH SITE: IT APPEARS THE AIRCRAFT STRUCK A LIGHT POLE WITH THE RIGHT WING (AIRCRAFT WAS ABOUT 5 FEET OFF THE GROUND) CAUSING THE AIRCRAFT TO SPIN TO THE LEFT, IMPACT A CHAIN LINK FENCE AND THE LEFT WING IMPACTED A STREET SIGN. THE NOSE GEAR WAS BENT UNDER AIRCRAFT, RIGHT WING TIP SEPARATED FROM RIGHT WING. BOTH WINGS WERE SUBSTANTIALLY DAMAGED. BOTH LEFT AND RIGHT FUEL TANKS WERE FOUND TO BE INTACT AND AT NEARLY FULL CAPACITY. FUEL SELECTOR WAS TURNED TO THE OFF POSITION BY PILOT BEFORE EXITING THE AIRCRAFT.

THIS RECORD WILL BE UPDATED AFTER ENGINE TEARDOWN IS COMPLETED.

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 ERA19LA065Accident · Minor injuriesClass 3 · LimitedFinal reportPunta Gorda, FLA total loss of engine power due to an interruption of fuel flow.Dec 13, 2018 · Substantial damage