Piper PA-28R-201 N9185P

Summary

On 20 December 2000 at about 15:25 local time, a Piper PA-28R-201 registered N9185P was involved in an accident near Fort Pierce, Florida, United States. One person was on board and one was seriously injured. The aircraft was slightly damaged. The NTSB has published a probable cause for this accident; it is quoted in full below.

Date

20 December 2000 at 15:25

Classification

Accident

Location

Fort Pierce, Florida, United States

Nearest airport

St. Lucie County Int'l (FPR)

Coordinates

27.5002, -80.3602

Aircraft

Piper PA-28R-201

Registration

N9185P

Category

Airplane

Engines

1

Operator

Not recorded

Operating rule

Part 91: General Aviation

Purpose of flight

Personal

Phase of flight

Not recorded

Aircraft damage

Minor

Weather

VMC

Light

Day

NTSB number

MIA01LA048

1 person was seriously injured.

The pilot's improper approach for landing while making a landing following a reported momentary partial loss of engine power for undetermined reasons and his decision to make a go-around from the approach resulting in a landing in a field and collapse of the nose landing gear following a reported total loss of engine power for undetermined reasons.

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

Read the full NTSB narrative

The pilot stated that when he turned off the electric fuel boost pump after takeoff, the engine lost about 300 rpm. He turned the electric pump back on and the engine regained power. While turning on final approach for landing he lined up with the wrong runway and made a go-around. During the go-around, the engine popped and went to idle power. He was unable to return to the airport and landed in a field. During landing rollout, the nose landing gear collapsed and he hit his head when the shoulder harness did not lock. The airplane received minor damage in the accident and the pilot was hospitalized for a head injury. Postcrash running of the engine showed no evidence of failure or malfunction with the electric boost pump on or off. The pilot's shoulder harness was found stowed after the accident and it locked normally during pull tests. The pilot was under a court order dated June 4, 1998, to not operate aircraft, and was scheduled to surrender to authorities in the State of Connecticut to begin serving a prison sentence on the day of the accident.

Quoted verbatim from the NTSB record.