- Date
- February 29, 2008, 10:53 local (14:53 UTC)
- Place
- Vero Beach, FL
- Injuries
- 1 uninjured
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Phase of flight
- Takeoff
- Aircraft
- N9204LPiper PA-28-161
- Defining event
- Takeoff-rejected takeoff: Loss of control on ground
- Weather
- Visual (VMC) · Day
- Status
- Completed · report April 30, 2008
- Report
- Approved by Office Director
- FAA report
- 20080229838669A
- Case key
- 67593
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 failure to maintain directional control of the airplane during an aborted takeoff.
Findings · 2
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 student pilot's instructor briefed and reviewed with the student several operational issues, including crosswind components limitations, before the accident flight, which was to be a solo cross country flight. The student pilot stated, as he aligned on the runway he noted the wind direction and deflected the ailerons accordingly. During the takeoff roll, approximately 36 knots on the airspeed indicator, the left wing suddenly lifted off the ground and the airplane tilted to the left. He elected to abort the takeoff. The airplane continued rolling to the left towards the grass. The right wing hit a distance marker on the left side of the runway, which was 2,000 feet down the runway. The student pilot stated there were no mechanical failures or malfunctions to the airplane or any of its systems prior to the accident.
Factual narrative
The student pilot's instructor briefed and reviewed with the student several operational issues, including crosswind component limitations, before the accident flight, which was to be a solo cross country flight.
The student pilot stated that he taxied on the runway lining up with the center line. He noted wind direction and deflected the ailerons accordingly. He began the takeoff roll and at approximately 36 knots, indicated on the airspeed indicator, the left wing suddenly lifted off the ground and the airplane tilted to the left. At that moment, he reduced engine power to idle to abort the takeoff. The airplane continued rolling to the left towards the grass. The right wing hit a distance marker on the side of the runway. The student pilot stated there were no mechanical failures or malfunctions to the airplane or any of its systems prior to the accident.
The responding FAA inspector stated that student pilot lost directional control of the airplane, which veered off the left side of the runway and impacted a distance marker about the 2,000 feet down the runway.
Aircraft
- Registration
- N9204L
- Reported as
- Piper PA-28-161
- Category
- Airplane
- Serial number
- 2841004
- Engine
- Lycoming O-320-D3G, reciprocating
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Instructional · Part 91
- Registered owner
- Flight Safety Academy
- Airworthiness certificate
- Standard, Utility; Standard, Normal
- Departed
- KVRB · Vero Beach, FL
- Destination
- KSGJ · St. Augustine, FL
- Flight plan
- VFR
- Airport
- KVRB · Vero Beach Municipal Airport, runway 11R, 7,314 × 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
- Student pilot
- Age
- 28
- Certificate
- Student
- Airplane ratings
- Single-engine land
- Medical
- Class 1
- Flight hours
- 116 total · 116 in this make and model · 63 in the last 90 days · 29 in the last 30 days
Weather
- Conditions
- Visual (VMC) · Day
- Wind
- 80° at 11 knots
- Visibility
- 10 statute miles
- Lowest ceiling
- None
- Temperature
- 66 °F, dew point 48 °F
- Altimeter
- 30.38 inHg
- Observed at
- KVRB
FAA reports on this event · 1
The FAA’s own accident and incident reports, matched to the aircraft by N-number and date.