- Date
- December 8, 2002, 16:50 local (22:50 UTC)
- Place
- Pensacola, FL
- Injuries
- 1 uninjured
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Phase of flight
- Landing
- Aircraft
- N2585BPiper PA38
- Weather
- Visual (VMC) · Day
- Status
- Completed · report May 13, 2003
- Report
- Approved by Office Director
- FAA report
- 20021208036189A
- Case key
- 56186
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 student pilot's attempt to turn off the runway at an excessive taxi speed resulting in a loss of directional control and collision with a taxiway sign.
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
The student pilot stated that he had completed landing flare, and during the landing rollout the airplane was moving a little fast. He said the FAA tower controller instructed him to "turn right at Taxiway D", and as he applied the brakes and attempted to comply, the airplane departed the taxiway and collided with a taxiway sign. The student further stated that prior to the accident there had not been any mechanical failure or malfunction to the airplane or any of its systems.
Factual narrative
On December 8, 2002, about 1650 central standard time, a Piper PA-38, N2585B, registered to and operated by Pensacola Aviation Limited LLC, as a Title 14 CFR Part 91 instructional flight ran off the taxiway after landing at Pensacola Regional Airport, Pensacola, Florida. Visual meteorological conditions prevailed, and a visual flight rules flight plan was filed. The student pilot was not injured, and the airplane incurred substantial damage. The flight originated in Monroeville, Alabama, the same day, about 1615.
The student pilot stated that he was returning from a solo cross-country flight, and had executed the landing flare touchdown, and subsequent rollout, but the airplane was moving a little fast. The student further stated that the FAA tower controller instructed him to "turn right at Taxiway D", and as he applied the brakes and attempted to comply, the airplane departed the taxiway and collided with a taxiway sign. As a result of the impact, there was damage to the airplane's fuselage and its right wing. The student said that prior to the accident there had not been any mechanical failure or malfunction to the airplane or any of its systems.
Aircraft
- Registration
- N2585B
- Reported as
- Piper PA38
- Category
- Airplane
- Serial number
- 38-79A
- Airframe hours
- 3,769
- Engine
- Textron Lycoming O-235-L2C, reciprocating
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Instructional · Part 91
- Operator
- Pensacola Aviation Limited LLC
- Registered owner
- Pensacola Aviation Limited LLC
- Airworthiness certificate
- Standard, Utility
- Last inspection
- Annual · July 10, 2002 · 74 hours before
- Departed
- MVC · Monroeville, AL
- Destination
- PNS · Pensacola, FL
- Flight plan
- VFR
- Airport
- PNS · Pensacola Regional Airport, runway 35
Flight crew
As NTSB recorded them. NTSB leaves out names.
- Role
- Pilot
- Age
- 41
- Certificate
- Student
- Medical
- Class 3
- Flight hours
- 25 total · 18 in this make and model
Weather
- Conditions
- Visual (VMC) · Day
FAA reports on this event · 1
The FAA’s own accident and incident reports, matched to the aircraft by N-number and date.