Aviation Crash Map

Piper PA-23-250 N520SM

8 May 1997 · Jacksonville, Florida, United States · Minor injuries

Summary

On 8 May 1997 at about 13:51 local time, a Piper PA-23-250 registered N520SM was involved in an accident near Jacksonville, Florida, United States. One person was on board and one had minor injuries. The aircraft was substantially damaged. The NTSB has published a probable cause for this accident; it is quoted in full below.

The record

Date
at 13:51
Classification
Accident
Location
Jacksonville, Florida, United States
Nearest airport
Herlong Airport (23J)
Coordinates
30.3496, -81.6408
Aircraft
Piper PA-23-250
Registration
N520SM
Category
Airplane
Engines
2
Operator
Not recorded
Operating rule
Part 91: General Aviation
Purpose of flight
Personal
Phase of flight
Not recorded
Aircraft damage
Substantial
Weather
VMC
Light
Day
NTSB number
ATL97LA071

People

1 person had minor injuries.

On board Died Serious Minor Uninjured
1 0 0 1 0

Probable cause

The pilot's failure to maintain terrain clearance while on a low pass, leading to propeller damage. A factor was birds in the area.

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

Read the full NTSB narrative

According to the pilot, he was on a test flight to check the operation of his landing gear. He attempted to make a low approach over the grass strip between the runway and the maintenance building on the airport. As he flew over the grass strip, a flock of egrets flew up ahead of the airplane. As he attempted to avoid the birds, he struck the ground. After becoming airborne briefly, the airplane made an emergency landing, due to propeller damage, in the runway overrun area on the east side of the airport property.

Quoted verbatim from the NTSB record.

Other Piper PA-23 accidents

Date Aircraft Location Operator Outcome Died
27 Nov 1997 Piper PA-23-250
N6933Y
Carson City, Nevada, United States - Fatal 4
25 Sep 1997 Piper PA-23-250
CGBUA
Soda Springs, Idaho, United States - No injuries -
1 Apr 1997 Piper PA-23-250
N5175Y
Virgin Gorda, British Virgin Islands
no coordinates
Virgin Air, Inc. No injuries -
4 May 1997 Piper PA-23-250
N570VR
Bimini, Bahamas
no coordinates
Alvin Murray Fatal 1
2 May 1997 Piper PA-23
N1044P
Washington, District of Columbia, United States
no coordinates
- Minor injuries -
31 Oct 1997 Piper PA-23-150
N3EV
Fitchburg, Massachusetts, United States
no coordinates
- Fatal 2

All 1,716 records for this type

Other accidents in this area

Date Aircraft Location Operator Outcome Died
10 Apr 1997 Cessna 152
N5442B
La Crosse, Florida, United States - No injuries -
10 Apr 1997 Navion A
N40FL
Quincy, Florida, United States - No injuries -
13 Apr 1997 Diamond DA 20-A1
N124MF
Hollywood, Florida, United States Pelican Airways No injuries -
15 Jul 1997 Cessna 172N
N737EV
Lakeland, Florida, United States - No injuries -
18 Apr 1997 Cessna 150M
N63666
Ormond Beach, Florida, United States - No injuries -
19 Jul 1997 Bellanca 8GCBC
N4138Y
Bunnell, Florida, United States - Minor injuries -

All 170,864 records in United States