Piper PA-28-180 accident near Vero Beach, FL
On February 23, 2002, a Piper PA-28-180 (airplane) was involved in an accident near Vero Beach, FL. 2 people died. Damage to the aircraft: destroyed.
- Date
- February 23, 2002
- Place
- Vero Beach, FL
- Aircraft
- Piper PA-28-180 · Airplane
- Injuries
- 2 fatal, 0 serious, 0 minor
- Damage
- Destroyed
- Position
- 27.619°N, 80.758°W
- NTSB ID
- 20020301X00291
Official records · ATL02FA051
- Public docket: reports, statements and exhibits from the investigation
Air traffic control records
- ATC Transcript: Transcript (PDF), on ntsb.gov
NTSB summary
HISTORY OF FLIGHT On February 23, 2002, at 1140 eastern standard time, a Piper PA-28-180, N7345W, registered to a private owner and operated by the commercial pilot, broke up in-flight over the Fort Drum Wildlife Management Reserve, in Vero Beach, Florida. The personal flight was operated under the provisions of Title 14 CFR Part 91, and instrument flight rules. Instrument meteorological conditions prevailed and an Instrument Flight Rules (IFR) flight plan was filed. The commercial pilot and passenger sustained fatal injuries, and the airplane was destroyed during the in-flight breakup and post-crash fire. The flight originated from West Palm Beach, Florida, on February 23, 2002, at 1113. On February 22, 2002, at 2006 the pilot called Miami Automated Flight Service Station (AFSS) on the telephone and stated that he would be departing North County Airport for the Orlando Executive Airport IFR. He stated that he had the weather but wanted the departure and destination airport weather again as well as the winds at 3,000 feet. When asked, the pilot stated that he had the flight precautions. The requested weather was provided along with the destination forecast and an advisory that the weather was worse then forecast. The briefer stated that he would not go if he did not have to with the current weather. At 1029 the day of the accident the pilot telephoned Miami AFSS on the telephone and advised that he wanted to go IFR from North County Airport to Orlando in thirty-minutes. The AIRMET for IFR conditions was given and a weather briefing was provided. The pilot was advised that V
Probable cause
The flight's encounter with isolated severe to extreme turbulence that resulted in an in-flight breakup of the airplane and subsequent impact with terrain.
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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.
