Piper PA-30 accident near Nichols, FL
On July 9, 2007, a Piper PA-30 (airplane) was involved in an accident near Nichols, FL. 2 people died. Damage to the aircraft: substantial.
- Date
- July 9, 2007
- Place
- Nichols, FL
- Aircraft
- Piper PA-30 · Airplane
- Injuries
- 2 fatal, 0 serious, 0 minor
- Damage
- Substantial
- Position
- 27.857°N, 82.027°W
- NTSB ID
- 20070716X00937
Official records · MIA07FA117
- Public docket: reports, statements and exhibits from the investigation
NTSB summary
HISTORY OF FLIGHT On July 9, 2007, about 0815 eastern daylight time, a Piper PA-30, N387RP, registered to Global Aviation LLC and operated by an individual, impacted a dirt road in a mining facility in Nichols, Florida. Visual meteorological conditions prevailed at the time and no flight plan was filed for the 14 Code of Federal Regulation Part 91 personal flight. The airline transport pilot (ATP) and student pilot/passenger were killed, and the airplane incurred substantial damage. The flight had originated from the Lakeland Linder Regional Airport (LAL), Lakeland, Florida, about 0806. The airplane departed on runway 27 and turned south. The tower controller cleared the pilot for frequency change when the airplane was about 4 miles away, at a radar altitude of 1,500 feet. A witness, working in the mining facility, stated that he heard an airplane's engine go into idle or shut off. He looked up and the airplane was about 800 feet above ground level (agl), in a nosedive, spiraling toward the ground. He heard what he believed to be attempts to start the engines. The airplane completed three to four spins before it straightened out and entered a flat spin, at an altitude of about 400 feet agl. He lost sight of the airplane as it disappeared over the horizon, followed by a loud "crunching" sound shortly after. Another witness stated he was located on a hill about 2,000 feet north and 200 feet above the main road where the airplane impact. He observed the airplane about the same altitude the news media helicopters were at, later that day during the news coverage. The airplane wa
Probable cause
Failure of the flight crew to maintain minimal controllable airspeed following a total loss of power in the right engine.
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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.
