- Date
- July 24, 2004, 10:30 local (14:30 UTC)
- Place
- Sugar Loaf Key, FL
- Injuries
- 4 uninjured
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Phase of flight
- Landing
- Aircraft
- N4590FPiper PA-28-151
- Weather
- Visual (VMC) · Day
- Status
- Completed · report December 3, 2004
- Report
- Approved by Office Director
- FAA report
- 20040724032999A
- Case key
- 59868
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 failure of the pilot to attain the proper touchdown point resulting in a landing overrun and subsequent on-ground collision with trees.
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 pilot stated that after starting the engine at the departure airport he checked the brakes with no discrepancies noted. Additionally, no discrepancies were noted with the brakes during the engine run-up before departure. The flight departed and nearly the entire flight was uneventful with the exception of a momentary discrepancy with the alternator. The flight arrived at the destination airport on the base leg where he lowered 1 notch of flaps. The flight then turned final for runway 10, where he fully extended the flaps and maintained approximately 65. He reported landing within the first 1/3 on the 2,700 foot long runway and applied the normal brakes but later reported he, "...got nothing." He repositioned his feet thinking he might be pushing on the rudder bar instead of the brake pedals but again there was no effect. During the landing roll he contemplated performing a go-around but decided not to due to the length of the runway. The airplane continued off the end of the runway and collided with brush. After coming to rest, he and the passengers evacuated the airplane. After getting out of the airplane, he looked back and saw skid marks in the sand area beyond the departure end of the runway. He also stated that he was familiar with the accident airport as he had flown in there previously approximately 7-8 times. Following recovery of the airplane, examination of the brake system by the insurance adjuster revealed no evidence or malfunction.
Factual narrative
On July 24, 2004, about 1030 eastern daylight time, a Piper PA-28-151, N4590F, registered to Keys Recovery & Liquidation, Inc., traveled off the end of the runway and collided with trees at the Sugar Loaf Shores Airport, Sugar Loaf Key, Florida. Visual meteorological conditions prevailed at the time and no flight plan was filed for the 14 CFR Part 91 personal flight from the Naples Municipal Airport, Naples, Florida, to the Sugar Loaf Shores Airport, Sugar Loaf Key, Florida. The airplane was substantially damaged and there were no injuries to the private-rated pilot and three passengers. The flight originated about 0900, from the Naples Municipal Airport.
The pilot stated that after starting the engine at the departure airport he checked the brakes with no discrepancies noted. Additionally, no discrepancies were noted with the brakes during the engine run-up before departure. The flight departed and nearly the entire flight was uneventful with the exception of a momentary discrepancy with the alternator. The flight arrived at the destination airport on the base leg where he lowered 1 notch of flaps. The flight then turned final for runway 10, where he fully extended the flaps and maintained approximately 65. He reported landing within the first 1/3 on the 2,700-foot-long runway and applied the normal brakes but later reported he, "...got nothing." He repositioned his feet thinking he might be pushing on the rudder bar instead of the brake pedals but again there was no effect. During the landing roll he contemplated performing a go-around but decided not to due to the length of the runway. The airplane continued off the end of the runway and collided with brush. After coming to rest, he and the passengers evacuated the airplane. After getting out of the airplane, he looked back and saw skid marks in the sand area beyond the departure end of the runway. He also stated that he was familiar with the accident airport as he had flown in there previously approximately seven to eight times.
Following recovery of the airplane, examination of the brake system by the insurance adjuster revealed no evidence or malfunction.
Aircraft
- Registration
- N4590F
- Reported as
- Piper PA-28-151
- Category
- Airplane
- Serial number
- 28-7715052
- Engine
- Lycoming O-320-E3D, reciprocating
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Personal · Part 91
- Operator
- Troy Zinser
- Registered owner
- Keys Recovery & Liquidation, Inc.
- Airworthiness certificate
- Standard, Normal
- Departed
- KAPF · Naples, FL
- Destination
- 7FA1 · Sugar Loaf Key, FL
- Airport
- 7FA1 · Sugar Loaf Airport, runway 10
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
- 43
- Certificate
- Private
- Airplane ratings
- Single-engine land
- Medical
- Class 3
- Flight hours
- 1,088 total · 7 in this make and model · 73 as pilot in command · 8 in the last 90 days · 1 in the last 30 days
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.