- Date
- July 10, 1998, 08:30 local (12:30 UTC)
- Place
- Vero Beach, FL
- Injuries
- 2 uninjured
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Phase of flight
- Landing
- Aircraft
- N1493HPiper PA-28R-201
- Weather
- Visual (VMC) · Day
- Status
- Completed · report February 15, 2001
- Report
- Approved by Office Director
- FAA report
- 19980710021169A
- Case key
- 4010
From the NTSB’s public API. By law, NTSB reports can’t be used as evidence in lawsuits over the accident.
On this page
Probable cause
The pilot's improper flare which resulted in a hard landing.
Sequence of events
NTSB’s coding before 2008: each occurrence and phase of flight, and the causes and factors under it. The codes are defined in NTSB’s coding manual.
Analysis
According to the operator, one pilot was receiving instruction to be a certified flight instructor (CFI), and was operating the flight controls. He requested an option takeoff from the tower, to accomplish a simulated engine failure on takeoff, with a landing straight ahead on the departure runway, runway 22. About 50 to 100 feet above the ground, he reduced the throttle to initiate the simulated engine malfunction. When the airplane was flared for the simulated emergency landing, a high sink rate was not arrested, and the airplane collided with the runway. The airplane came to rest in the intersection of runway 22 and 29.
Factual narrative
On July 10, 1998, about 0830 eastern daylight time, a Piper PA-28-201, N1493H, collided with the runway during takeoff at the Vero Beach Municipal Airport, Vero Beach, Florida. The airplane was operated by FlightSafety International, Inc., under the provisions of Title 14 CFR part 91, and visual flight rules. Visual meteorological conditions prevailed, and a flight plan was not filed for the local, instructional flight. The commercial flight instructor and the commercial pilot under instruction were not injured, however the airplane was substantially damaged. The flight was originating at the time of the accident.
According to the operator, one pilot was receiving instruction to be a certified flight instructor (CFI), and was operating the flight controls. He requested an option takeoff from the tower, to accomplish a simulated engine failure on takeoff, with a landing straight ahead on the departure runway, runway 22. About 50 to 100 feet above the ground, he reduced the throttle to initiate the simulated engine malfunction. When the airplane was flared for the simulated emergency landing, a high sink rate was not arrested, and the airplane collided with the runway. The airplane came to rest in the intersection of runway 22 and 29.
Aircraft
- Registration
- N1493H
- Reported as
- Piper PA-28R-201
- Category
- Airplane
- Serial number
- 28R-7737004
- Airframe hours
- 44,373
- Engine
- Lycoming IO 360-C1-C6, 200 horsepower, reciprocating
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Instructional · Part 91
- Registered owner
- Flightsafety Intl, Inc
- Airworthiness certificate
- Standard, Normal
- Last inspection
- Continuous airworthiness · June 22, 1998 · 26 hours before
- Departed
- VRB
- Airport
- VRB · Vero Beach Muni Airport, runway 22, 4,975 × 100 ft, asphalt
Matched to the registry by N-number and the event date; the registry’s history has gaps, so older matches can be wrong. Compare the reported make and model.
Flight crew
As NTSB recorded them. NTSB leaves out names.
- Role
- Pilot
- Age
- 24
- Certificate
- Commercial
- Airplane ratings
- Single-engine land, Multi-engine land
- Instrument ratings
- Airplane
- Medical
- Class 1, Valid Medical--no waivers/lim.
- Seat
- Right
- Flight hours
- 320 total · 7 in this make and model · 244 as pilot in command · 74 in the last 90 days · 12 in the last 30 days · 2 in the last 24 hours
Weather
- Conditions
- Visual (VMC) · Day
- Wind
- 230° at 8 knots
- Visibility
- 12 statute miles
- Lowest ceiling
- None
- Temperature
- 81 °F, dew point 75 °F
- Altimeter
- 30.00 inHg
- Observed at
- VRB
FAA reports on this event · 1
The FAA’s own accident and incident reports, matched to the aircraft by N-number and date.