Piper PA-38-112 N25109

Summary

On 13 November 1990 at about 17:00 local time, a Piper PA-38-112 registered N25109, operated by St. Lucie Air Academy, Inc., was involved in an accident near Fort Pierce, Florida, United States. 2 people were on board and nobody was injured. The aircraft was substantially damaged. The NTSB has published a probable cause for this accident; it is quoted in full below.

Date

13 November 1990 at 17:00

Classification

Accident

Location

Fort Pierce, Florida, United States

Nearest airport

Strazzula Groves (FL23)

Coordinates

Not recorded

Aircraft

Piper PA-38-112

Registration

N25109

Category

Airplane

Engines

1

Operator

St. Lucie Air Academy, Inc.

Operating rule

Part 91: General Aviation

Purpose of flight

Instructional

Phase of flight

Not recorded

Aircraft damage

Substantial

Weather

VMC

Light

Day

NTSB number

MIA91LA026

Nobody was injured.

IMPROPER PREFLIGHT DECISION OF THE INSTRUCTOR PILOT TO ALLOW THE STUDENT TO TAKEOFF FROM THE SOFT GRASS RUNWAY AND HIS FAILURE TO ABORT THE TAKEOFF.

Quoted verbatim from the NTSB record. This site does not paraphrase or interpret it.

Read the full NTSB narrative

THE CFI STATED THAT HE ALLOWED THE STUDENT TO TAKEOFF FROM THE 2,500 FT GRASS RWY. PRIOR TO DEPARTURE THERE WAS A DISAGREEMENT ON THE CORRECT PROCEDURE & THE PLT'S OPERATING HANDBOOK WAS CONSULTED. DURING THE GROUND ROLL ABOUT 1/2 WAY DOWN THE RWY, HE CONSIDERED ABORTING THE TAKEOFF BECAUSE THE ACFT WAS SLOW TO ACCELERATE BUT DID NOT. THE ACFT REMAINED IN GROUND EFFECT & ABOUT 3/4 DOWN THE RWY, HAD NOT ACCELERATED ENOUGH TO CLIMB. WITH INSUFFICIENT RWY REMAINING & OBSTRUCTIONS AHEAD, THE CFI TOOK CONTROL & MANEUVERED THE ACFT ALONG A ROAD WHILE ATTEMPTING TO CLIMB. THE RT WING COLLIDED WITH TREES & THE ACFT THEN CRASHED INTO TREES & CAME TO REST. THE CFI FURTHER STATED THAT THERE WAS NO ENG FAILURE OR MALFUNCTION & WHEN ASKED HOW THIS ACCIDENT COULD HAVE BEEN PREVENTED, HE STATED THAT HE SHOULD NOT HAVE FLOWN INTO THAT AIRSTRIP. ACCORDING TO AN FAA OPS INSPECTOR WHO ARRIVED 5 HOURS LATER, THE GRASS WAS 4 INCHES HIGH & THE RWY WAS SOFT.

Quoted verbatim from the NTSB record.