# Accident 20210316006109A: Piper PA-28-161, Fort Pierce, FL, March 16, 2021

- Type: FAA accident report (Accident/Incident Data System), as reported
- Date: March 16, 2021, 10:32 local time
- Place: Fort Pierce, FL
- Airport: Treasure Coast Int.
- Damage: Substantial damage
- Phase of flight: Landing: Touchdown
- Operating rules: Pilot school (Part 141)
- Operator: ECPS
- Location: 27.4975° N, 80.3726° W: From the FAA
- Nearby events: https://openairdocs.org/map.md?lat=27.4975&lon=-80.3726&mi=10
- Aircraft: N562PU, registered now (https://openairdocs.org/aircraft/N562PU) (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: 2
- Fatal injuries: 0
- Other injuries: 0
- Pilot certificates: Commercial pilot, flight instructor, private pilot, student
- NTSB investigation: [NTSB ERA21LA175](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb/ERA21LA175) (OpenAirDocs)
- FAA source: FAA Aviation Safety Information Portal (https://asip.faa.gov/)
- Page: https://openairdocs.org/incident/20210316006109A

## Narrative

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

THE FLIGHT PLAN: EAST DEPARTURE, NORMAL TAKEOFF, CLIMB CHECK, CRUISE CHECK, GET ATIS FOR

FORT PIERCE, APPROACH BRIEFING, APPROACH CHECKLIST, 5 FULL STOP TAXI BACKS AT FORT

PIERCE, NORTH DEPARTURE, CLIMB CHECK, CRUISE CHECK, GET ATIS FOR VERO BEACH,

APPROACH BRIEFING, APPROACH CHECKLIST, FULL STOP LANDING AT VERO BEACH.

WE ASKED FOR 5 FULL STOP TAXI BACKS AT FORT PIERCE. WE WERE INSTRUCTED TO MAKE

LEFT DOWNWIND FOR 10L, THEN INSTRUCTED TO CHANGE TO 10R DURING DOWNWIND FOR 10L.

MADE A FULL STOP TAXI BACK AND TOOK OFF 10R. WE WERE INSTRUCTED TO CHANGE BACK

TO 10L FOR THE NEXT LANDING.

THIS IS PART OF THE FLIGHT INSTRUCTOR STATEMENT THAT FOLLOWS AFTER TAKING OFF OF 10L WE MADE A NORMAL TRAFFIC PATTERN. APPROACH TO LANDING IN

THE LAST 300 FEET WE WERE TRACKING RUNWAY CENTERLINE AND CONTINUED DESCENT.

THERE IS NO GLIDE SLOPE INDICATOR FOR 10L, BUT IT VISUALLY LOOKED LIKE A STABILIZED

APPROACH. THERE WAS A RIGHT CROSSWIND WITH GUST, SO OUR APPROACH WAS BUMPY

AND THE AIRSPEED FLUCTUATED. I FELT IT WAS SAFE FOR HER TO CONTINUE WITH THE

CONDITIONS.

SP ROUNDED OUT RIGHT OF CENTERLINE AND ANGLED THE NOSE TO THE RIGHT. IP TOOK

CONTROLS AND LANDED. ATTEMPTED TO USE FULL BRAKES BUT NO CHANGE HAPPENED.

THERE WAS NO PULL FORWARD WHEN USING BRAKES. RIGHT MAIN GEAR HIT YELLOW

DIRECTIONAL SIGN AND TOOK OFF THE MAIN GEAR COMPLETELY. STILL TRIED TO HOLD BRAKES ON

LEFT SIDE BUT WE KEPT SLIDING ON THE GRASS. PROP CONTINUED TURNING WHEN WE WERE

ON THE GROUND. IP COMPLETED SHUT DOWN CHECKLIST.

NO INJURIES REPORTED IP AND STUDENT DEPARTED AIRCRAFT. EMERGENCY PERSONNEL WAS ALREADY ON SCENE.

## 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 ERA21LA175](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb/ERA21LA175), Mar 16, 2021: Piper PA-28-161 (N562PU), Fort Pierce, FL, substantial damage. Probable cause: The flight instructor’s delayed remedial action and failure to maintain directional control during a crosswind landing, which resulted in a runway excursion.

## Other reports on N562PU (1)

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

- [Incident 20190305000939I](https://openairdocs.org/incident/20190305000939I), Mar 5, 2019: Piper PA-28-161 (N562PU), Vero Beach, FL, No damage. Weather data obtained and used by airman to make his takeoff decision was not the actual weather at the time. Because of darkness he did not observe the low…

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.

---
OpenAirDocs.org is an independent research project of [Contrail Labs](https://contraillabs.com/). It is not affiliated with the FAA or the NTSB. Source documents are U.S. government works in the public domain.
