- Date
- February 11, 2017, 17:30 local (22:30 UTC)
- Place
- St. Petersburg, FL
- Injuries
- 2 uninjured
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Phase of flight
- Approach
- Aircraft
- N18PSBeech T 34B
- Defining event
- Approach-VFR pattern final: Loss of control in flight
- Weather
- Visual (VMC) · Day
- Status
- Completed · report April 10, 2017
- Report
- Approved by Office Director
- NTSB office
- General Aviation Accidents
- Parties
- FAA
- FAA report
- 20170211000919A
- Case key
- 94715
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 failure to maintain an appropriate glidepath to the runway.
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 reported that, after maneuvering in the local area for about 45 minutes, he returned to his home airport for landing. During the final approach, the airplane sunk below the proper glidepath, and he increased the power three separate times, but the airplane continued to sink. Subsequently, the airplane struck a seawall located about 380 ft from the runway threshold, which resulted in the propeller separating from the propeller hub and the collapse of the landing gear. The fuselage and both wings sustained substantial damage. According to the Federal Aviation Administration Aviation Safety Inspector who interviewed the pilot after the accident, the pilot reported that the engine did not contribute to the accident.
Factual narrative
The pilot reported after maneuvering in the local area for about 45 minutes, he returned to his home airport for landing. He further reported that during the final approach, the airplane sunk below the proper glide path and he increased the power three separate times, but the airplane continued to sink. Subsequently, the airplane struck a seawall located about 380 feet from the runway threshold, which resulted in the propeller separating from the propeller hub and the collapse of the landing gear. The fuselage and both wings sustained substantial damage. According to a Federal Aviation Administration Aviation Safety Inspector who interviewed the pilot after the accident, the pilot reported that the engine did not contribute to the accident.
Aircraft
- Registration
- N18PS
- Reported as
- Beech T 34B (NO SERIES)
- Category
- Airplane
- Serial number
- BG-327
- Built
- 1957
- Airframe hours
- 4,306.7
- Engine
- Cont Motor IO-470 SER, reciprocating
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Personal · Part 91
- Airworthiness certificate
- Standard, Aerobatic; Standard, Utility
- Last inspection
- Annual · May 2, 2016
- Departed
- SPG · St Petersburg, FL
- Destination
- SPG · St Petersburg, FL
- Airport
- SPG · Albert Whitted, runway 25, 3,677 × 75 ft, asphalt
- Equipment
- Stall warning system, Onboard weather
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
- 69
- 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 15, 2015
- Seat
- Front
- Restraint
- 4-point
- Flight hours
- 2,773 total · 150 in this make and model · 2,689 as pilot in command · 40 in the last 90 days · 14 in the last 30 days
Weather
- Conditions
- Visual (VMC) · Day
- Wind
- 270° at 9 knots
- Visibility
- 10 statute miles
- Lowest ceiling
- None
- Temperature
- 72 °F, dew point 54 °F
- Altimeter
- 30.21 inHg
- Observed at
- KSPG
Docket · 4
The files NTSB released with the investigation on March 23, 2017, on NTSB’s docket system: statements, records, photos and specialists’ reports. 2.0 MB in all.
FAA reports on this event · 1
The FAA’s own accident and incident reports, matched to the aircraft by N-number and date.