- Date
- February 21, 1996, 10:15 local (15:15 UTC)
- Place
- St. Petersburg, FL
- Injuries
- 2 minor
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Phase of flight
- Approach
- Aircraft
- N8740YPiper PA-30-160
- Weather
- Instrument (IMC) · Day
- Status
- Completed · report June 22, 1996
- Report
- Approved by Office Director
- FAA report
- 19960221002409A
- Case key
- 37983
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 failure to maintain the glide slope and becoming distracted by a passenger.
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 while on final approach during an ILS approach he became distracted by the passenger and the airplane collided with water.
Factual narrative
On February 21, 1996, about 1015 eastern standard time, a Piper PA-30, N8740Y, registered to a private owner crashed into Tampa Bay while on approach for the St. Petersburg/Clearwater International Airport, St. Petersburg, Florida. Instrument meteorological conditions prevailed at the time and an IFR flight plan was filed for the 14 CFR Part 91 personal flight. The commercial-rated pilot and one passenger received minor injuries and the airplane was substantially damaged. The flight had originated from Foley, Alabama, about 0700, the same day.
The pilot had requested and received clearance for the ILS approach into the St. Petersburg International Airport due to adverse weather. While on final approach the airplane crashed into Tampa Bay. The pilot stated that his attention was distracted by the passenger.
Aircraft
- Registration
- N8740Y
- Reported as
- Piper PA-30-160
- Category
- Airplane
- Serial number
- 30-1894
- Engine
- Lycoming IO-320, 160 horsepower, reciprocating
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Personal · Part 91
- Registered owner
- Floyd D. Painter
- Airworthiness certificate
- Standard, Normal
- Departed
- 5R4 · Foley, AL
- Destination
- X41 · New Port Richey, FL
- Flight plan
- IFR
- Airport
- PIE · St. Petersburg, runway 17L, 8,500 × 150 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
- Pilot
- Age
- 25
- Certificates
- Commercial, Flight instructor
- Airplane ratings
- Multi-engine land, Single-engine land
- Instrument ratings
- Airplane
- Medical
- Class 1, Valid Medical--no waivers/lim.
- Seat
- Left
- Flight hours
- 2,890 total · 6 in this make and model · 2,860 as pilot in command · 20 in the last 90 days · 7 in the last 30 days · 2 in the last 24 hours
Weather
- Conditions
- Instrument (IMC) · Day
- Wind
- 70° at 5 knots
- Visibility
- 3 statute miles
- Lowest ceiling
- 1,400 ft broken
- Temperature
- 72 °F, dew point 70 °F
- Altimeter
- 30.00 inHg
- Observed at
- PIE
FAA reports on this event · 1
The FAA’s own accident and incident reports, matched to the aircraft by N-number and date.