- Date
- March 22, 1998, 16:50 local (21:50 UTC)
- Place
- Tampa, FL
- Injuries
- 1 serious
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Phase of flight
- Initial climb
- Aircraft
- N2321DPiper PA-38-112
- Weather
- Visual (VMC) · Day
- Status
- Completed · report February 15, 2001
- Report
- Approved by Office Director
- FAA report
- 19980322004059A
- Case key
- 38473
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 NTSB’s determination of the probable cause, and any contributing factors.
failure of the student pilot to maintain directional control of the airplane and proper runway alignment, which result in an in-flight collision with a hangar.
Analysis
During the initial climb after lift-off, the airplane drifted to the left and collided with the roof of a hangar about 25 feet above ground level. A witness, who observed the takeoff, reported that during the initial climb, the airplane banked to the left about 25 to 30 degrees with the pitch up attitude increasing. The witness then lost sight of the airplane and noted damage to the top of the hangar.
Factual narrative
On March 22, 1998, about 1650 eastern standard time, a Piper PA-38-112, N2321D, registered to Tampa Flying Service, Inc., crashed during takeoff at the Peter O. Knight Airport, Tampa, Florida. Visual meteorological conditions prevailed at the time and no flight plan was filed for the 14 CFR Part 91 instructional flight. The airplane was substantially damaged and the student pilot, the sole occupant, sustained serious injuries. The flight was originating at the time of the accident.
The pilot stated to an FAA inspector that he initiated a takeoff from runway 35 with the wind from 310 degrees at 7-10 knots. After becoming airborne, the airplane began drifting to the left and collided with a hangar about 25 feet above ground level.
According to a witness who was near the airport, he observed the airplane during the takeoff roll then during the initial climb. During that time the airplane entered a left bank of about 25-30 degrees with the nose-up attitude increasing. He then lost sight of the airplane and noted the damage to the top portion of the hangar.
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.
Aircraft
- Registration
- N2321D
- Reported as
- Piper PA-38-112
- Category
- Airplane
- Serial number
- 38-79A0272
- Airframe hours
- 11,232
- Engine
- Lycoming O-235-L2C, 112 horsepower, reciprocating
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Instructional · Part 91
- Registered owner
- Tampa Flying Service, Inc.
- Airworthiness certificate
- Standard, Normal
- Last inspection
- Annual · March 16, 1998 · 2 hours before
- Departed
- TPF
- Airport
- TPF · Peter O. Knight, runway 35, 2,688 × 75 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
- 32
- Certificate
- Student
- Medical
- Class 3, Valid Medical--no waivers/lim.
- Seat
- Left
- Flight hours
- 38 total · 27 in this make and model · 22 as pilot in command · 20 in the last 90 days · 5 in the last 30 days
Weather
- Conditions
- Visual (VMC) · Day
- Wind
- 340° at 12 knots
- Visibility
- 8 statute miles
- Lowest ceiling
- 2,500 ft overcast
- Temperature
- 55 °F, dew point 48 °F
- Altimeter
- 29.00 inHg
- Observed at
- TPA, 5 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.