Piper PA-34-200 accident near Palm Coast, FL
On March 16, 2001, a Piper PA-34-200 (airplane) was involved in an accident near Palm Coast, FL. 3 people were seriously injured. Damage to the aircraft: destroyed.
- Date
- March 16, 2001
- Place
- Palm Coast, FL
- Aircraft
- Piper PA-34-200 · Airplane
- Injuries
- 0 fatal, 3 serious, 0 minor
- Damage
- Destroyed
- Position
- 29.467°N, 81.201°W
- NTSB ID
- 20010321X00623
NTSB summary
HISTORY 0F FLIGHT On March 16, 2001, about 1510 eastern standard time, a Piper PA-34-200, N44589, operated and registered to PhilAir Inc., operating as a Title 14 CFR Part 91 instructional flight, impacted with trees and caught fire while the airplane was on base-to-final approach to runway 24 at the Bunnell-Flagler County Airport (X47), near Palm Coast, Florida. Visual meteorological conditions prevailed. No flight plan was filed. The airplane was destroyed. The commercial rated-pilot-in-command (PIC)/instructor, the commercial rated-second pilot, and commercial rated-pilot/passenger reported serious injuries. The flight had departed from Daytona Beach International Airport, Florida, at 1330. The purpose of this flight was to be a company standardization check ride for two newly hired multi-engine instructor pilots. The check ride was to be administered by the PIC, acting as the check pilot, was also the owner of the company and airplane. The PIC was in the left seat at the time of the accident, the second pilot was in the right seat, and taking the check ride. The pilot/passenger was in the right middle seat and was observing. The airplane was seen by witnesses flying low above the trees, when it pitched nose low, struck trees, and impacted on a four-lane road. A witness, driving westbound on route 100, just east of the accident site, reported seeing the aircraft about 5 feet above the trees and heading south, southwest. According to the witness the airplane struck the trees on the east side of a four-lane road and then the median area between the south and northbound lan
Probable cause
the second pilot's failure to maintain Vmc during a single engine approach resulting in a loss of control in flight and subsequent collision with objects and terrain during an uncontrolled descent. Contributing to the accident was the PIC turning the right engine fuel selector to the off position to simulate an engine failure, and the PIC's inadequate supervision of the second pilot.
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Browse: Florida · Piper aircraft
Source: NTSB aviation accident database (US government, public domain). Findings may be preliminary or later revised by the NTSB. Not a complete global record.
