Piper PA-28-235 accident near Okeechobee, FL
On January 16, 1997, a Piper PA-28-235 (airplane) was involved in an accident near Okeechobee, FL. 1 person died. Damage to the aircraft: destroyed.
- Date
- January 16, 1997
- Place
- Okeechobee, FL
- Aircraft
- Piper PA-28-235 · Airplane
- Injuries
- 1 fatal, 0 serious, 0 minor
- Damage
- Destroyed
- Position
- 27.501°N, 80.930°W
- NTSB ID
- 20001208X07323
NTSB summary
HISTORY OF FLIGHT On January 16, 1997, about 0755 eastern standard time, a Piper PA-28-235, N712DB, registered to a private owner, operating as a 14 CFR Part 91 personal flight, crashed while maneuvering in the vicinity of Okeechobee, Florida. Instrument meteorological conditions prevailed and no flight plan was filed. The noninstrument-rated private pilot was fatally injured. The airplane was destroyed by postcrash fire. The flight originated from Okeechobee County Airport about 2 minutes before the accident. A witness at a local high school observed the airplane come out of the fog heading towards the north-northeast. The airplane was observed to pull up in order to avoid colliding with a light pole. The airplane continued to the north-northeast until it was obscured from view by the ground fog. Two additional witnesses located northeast of the high school, and about 2 miles northeast of Okeechobee County Airport, heard the airplane coming towards their location; however, they could not see the airplane due to the weather conditions. A short time later, the airplane was observed flying up a creek about 25 feet below the tree line. Before reaching an intersection with the creek and a levee, the airplane was observed to pitch up in about a 45-degree nose-high attitude. The airplane made a steep right turn estimated at a 90-degree angle of bank. The right wing tip collided with a tree separating the right wing tip. The airplane cartwheeled about its longitudinal axis to the left colliding with trees and terrain. PERSONNEL INFORMATION Review of airman records on file with the
Probable cause
the noninstrument-rated pilot's decision to conduct a VFR flight into instrument meteorological flight conditions. The weather was a factor.
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Source: NTSB aviation accident database (US government, public domain). Findings may be preliminary or later revised by the NTSB. Not a complete global record.
