# Accident 20190305000919A: Piper PA-28-161, Fellsmere, FL, March 5, 2019

- Type: FAA accident report (Accident/Incident Data System), as reported
- Date: March 5, 2019, 07:03 local time
- Place: Fellsmere, FL
- Damage: Destroyed
- Phase of flight: Climb
- Operating rules: Pilot school (Part 141)
- Location: 27.7150° N, 80.5272° W: From the FAA
- Nearby events: https://openairdocs.org/map.md?lat=27.7150&lon=-80.5272&mi=10
- Aircraft: N556PU, a cancelled registration (https://openairdocs.org/deregistered/N556PU-2021-04-03) (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: Student
- Pilot flight hours: 91 total, 91 in this make and model, 38 in the last 90 days
- NTSB investigation: [NTSB ERA19FA116](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb/ERA19FA116) (OpenAirDocs)
- FAA source: FAA Aviation Safety Information Portal (https://asip.faa.gov/)
- Page: https://openairdocs.org/incident/20190305000919A

## Narrative

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

ON MARCH 5, 2019 AT APPROXIMATELY 0703 EDT, A PIPER PA-28-161, N556PU (SFY211), SERIAL # 2842093 CRASHED INTO TREES AND TERRAIN APPROXIMATELY 1 1/2 MILES SOUTH OF VERO LAKE ESTATES IN INDIAN RIVER COUNTY, FELLSMERE, FLORIDA. THE STUDENT PILOT WAS FATALLY INJURED AND THE AIRCRAFT WAS SUBSTANTIALLY DAMAGED. THE AIRCRAFT WAS ON A VFR FLIGHT FROM KVRB-KPHK-KOBE-KVRB. STUDENT PILOT MADE NO APPARENT RADIO CONTACT DURING FLIGHT. WEATHER FROM METAR WAS AS FOLLOWS:

KVRB 051203Z 6SM ?RA BR OVC004 19/18 A3003 RMK AO2 P0000 T01890178

ON MARCH 6-7, 2019 REPRESENTATIVES FROM NTSB, PIPER AIRCRAFT, LYCOMING AND THE FAA STARTED AN EXAMINATION OF THE WRECKAGE IN THE FIELD. THE AIRCRAFT WAS MOVED TO A HANGAR AT ST. LUCIE COUNTY INTERNATIONAL IN FT. PIERCE, FL. THE AIRCRAFT HAD AN AFTT OF 13099.6. AN EXAMINATION OF THE AIRFRAME, ENGINE AND PROPELLER LOGBOOKS REVEALED THE FOLLOWING: THE LAST PROGRESSIVE INSPECTION (EVENT 2) WAS COMPLETED ON 03/04/2019 AT AFTT 13099.6. THE ENGINE AND PROPELLER HAD BEEN REMOVED AND REPLACED ON 6/21/2018 AT AFTT 12091.5. EXAMINATION OF THE AIRFRAME AND ENGINE REVEALED THAT NO MECHANICAL IRREGULARITIES EXISTED PRIOR TO ACCIDENT.

## 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 ERA19FA116](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb/ERA19FA116), Mar 5, 2019: Piper PA28 (N556PU), Fellsmere, FL, substantial damage, 1 fatal. Probable cause: The student pilot's loss of control due to spatial disorientation following an encounter with instrument meteorological conditions shortly after takeoff. Contributing to the accident was the failure…

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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