- Date
- September 7, 1987, 11:25 local (15:25 UTC)
- Place
- Ocala, FL
- Injuries
- 2 uninjured
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Phase of flight
- Initial climb
- Aircraft
- N5581UPiper PA-28
- Weather
- Visual (VMC) · Day
- Status
- Completed · report January 25, 1989
- Report
- Approved by Office Director
- FAA report
- 19870907050189A
- Case key
- 31960
From the NTSB’s public API. By law, NTSB reports can’t be used as evidence in lawsuits over the accident.
On this page
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
Shortly after takeoff, the eng began to lose pwr & the plt was unable to maint alt or return to the arpt. He elected to land on a road, but there was oncoming traffic, so he maneuvered to the left side. Subsequently, the left wing collided with a utility pole. According to a witness, the acft was slow to climb after takeoff, although no unusual eng sounds were noted. After the acdnt, an opnl check of the eng was made, but was limited to 1650 RPM due to acdnt damage. The sole discrepancy noted drg the eng run was a loose gascolator; however, the investigation did not verify whether the gascolator had loosened before or drg impact.
Aircraft
- Registration
- N5581U
- Reported as
- Piper PA-28
- Category
- Airplane
- Serial number
- 2826312
- Airframe hours
- 2,167
- Engine
- Lycoming O-320-E2A, 150 horsepower, reciprocating
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Personal · Part 91
- Operator
- Virgil L.Korona
- Registered owner
- Virgil L & Doris F Korona
- Airworthiness certificate
- Standard, Normal
- Last inspection
- Annual · March 14, 1987 · 63 hours before
- Airport
- Greystone, runway 9, 3,600 × ft, grass/turf
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
- 52
- Certificate
- Private
- Airplane ratings
- Single-engine land
- Medical
- Class 3, Valid Medical--w/ waivers/lim
- Seat
- Left
- Flight hours
- 156 total · 7 in this make and model
Weather
- Conditions
- Visual (VMC) · Day
- Wind
- 290° at 8 knots
- Visibility
- 15 statute miles
- Lowest ceiling
- None
- Temperature
- 88 °F, dew point 25 °F
- Altimeter
- 29.00 inHg
- Observed at
- GNV, 342 nm away
FAA reports on this event · 1
The FAA’s own accident and incident reports, matched to the aircraft by N-number and date.