- Date
- September 28, 1991, 01:14 local (05:14 UTC)
- Place
- West Palm Beach, FL
- Injuries
- 1 serious, 3 minor
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Phase of flight
- Initial climb
- Aircraft
- N5838UPiper PA-28-140
- Weather
- Visual (VMC) · Night/dark
- Status
- Completed · report March 24, 1993
- Report
- Approved by Office Director
- FAA report
- 19910928043759A
- Case key
- 32759
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 improper use of the mixture control in that he failed to place it in full rich condition prior to takeoff. Contributing to the accident was the unsuitable terrain encountered during the forced landing.
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 he experienced excessive magneto drop on run up and he leaned the mixture to correct this condition. He never stated he placed the mixture control to full rich prior to takeoff. The engine gradually lost power after takeoff and eventually quit. The pilot executed a forced landing to unsuitable terrain and struck a tree and a building during landing.
Aircraft
- Registration
- N5838U
- Reported as
- Piper PA-28-140
- Category
- Airplane
- Serial number
- 28-2669
- Engine
- Lycoming O-320-E2A, 150 horsepower, reciprocating
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Personal · Part 91
- Operator
- Steven Mccaughey
- Registered owner
- Grace, Franklin
- Airworthiness certificate
- Standard, Normal
- Destination
- FXE · Fort Lauderdale, FL
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
- 24
- Certificate
- Private
- Airplane ratings
- Single-engine land
- Medical
- Class 3, Valid Medical--w/ waivers/lim
- Seat
- Left
- Flight hours
- 100 total · 15 in this make and model · 40 as pilot in command · 50 in the last 90 days · 15 in the last 30 days · 2 in the last 24 hours
Weather
- Conditions
- Visual (VMC) · Night/dark
- Wind
- 310° at 3 knots
- Visibility
- 10 statute miles
- Lowest ceiling
- None
- Temperature
- 73 °F, dew point 72 °F
- Altimeter
- 29.00 inHg
- Observed at
- PBI, 1 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.