- Date
- June 3, 2013, 06:20 local (10:20 UTC)
- Place
- West Palm Beach, FL
- Injuries
- 3 uninjured
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Phase of flight
- Taxi
- Aircraft
- N21EPPiper PA-46-500TP
- Defining event
- Taxi-to runway: Miscellaneous/other
- Weather
- Visual (VMC) · Day
- Status
- Completed · report July 23, 2013
- Report
- Approved by Office Director
- NTSB office
- Eastern Region Aviation
- Parties
- FAA/FSDO
- Case key
- 87150
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 diversion of attention while taxiing the airplane, which resulted in his failure to maintain directional control and collision with a ditch.
Findings · 3
NTSB’s coded findings. Those marked are part of the probable cause; the rest are factors or other findings. Under each, the cases with the same finding.
Sequence of events
The events NTSB coded, in order, by phase of flight. The defining event is the one that best describes the accident. Under each, the cases with the same event anywhere in their sequence.
Analysis
The pilot stated that he was taxiing to the runway while adjusting the flight instruments for takeoff when the airplane drifted left of the taxiway centerline and struck a culvert. After performing a visual inspection of the airframe and determining that all systems functioned normally, the pilot elected to continue to the runway and complete the flight as planned. The following day, an inspection of the airplane performed by a mechanic revealed substantial damage to the left wing. The pilot reported no mechanical malfunctions or anomalies that would have precluded normal operation. He further stated that he should not have started taxiing the airplane or attempted to “multi-task” while taxiing.
Factual narrative
The pilot stated that he was taxiing to the runway while adjusting the flight instruments for takeoff when the airplane drifted left of the taxiway centerline and struck a culvert. After performing a visual inspection of the airframe and determining that all systems functioned normally, the pilot elected to continue to the runway and complete the flight as planned. The following day, an inspection of the airplane performed by a mechanic revealed substantial damage to the left wing. The pilot reported no mechanical malfunctions or anomalies that would have precluded normal operation. He further stated that he should not have started taxiing the airplane or attempted to “multi-task” while taxiing.
Aircraft
- Registration
- N21EP
- Reported as
- Piper PA-46-500TP
- Category
- Airplane
- Serial number
- 4697500
- Airframe hours
- 66
- Engine
- Pratt and Whitney, turbo prop
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Personal · Part 91
- Airworthiness certificate
- Standard, Normal
- Last inspection
- 100 hour · November 21, 2012 · 77 hours before
- Departed
- FD38 · West Palm Beach, FL
- Destination
- VRB · Vero Beach, FL
- Flight plan
- VFR
- Airport
- FD38 · Wellington Aero Club Airport, runway 34, 4,000 × 75 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
- 68
- Injuries
- None
- Certificate
- Private
- Airplane ratings
- Single-engine land, Multi-engine land
- Instrument ratings
- Airplane
- Medical
- Class 3, With waivers/limitations
- Last flight review
- March 22, 2013
- Seat
- Left
- Flight hours
- 2,317 total · 170 in this make and model
Weather
- Conditions
- Visual (VMC) · Day
- Wind
- Calm
- Visibility
- 10 statute miles
- Lowest ceiling
- 13,000 ft broken
- Temperature
- 73 °F, dew point 73 °F
- Altimeter
- 29.96 inHg
- Observed at
- PBI, 10 nm away
Docket · 5
The files NTSB released with the investigation on June 26, 2013, on NTSB’s docket system: statements, records, photos and specialists’ reports. 3.8 MB in all.