Piper PA28 accident near Destin, FL
On February 13, 2016, a Piper PA28 (airplane) was involved in an accident near Destin, FL. 2 people died. Damage to the aircraft: destroyed.
- Date
- February 13, 2016
- Place
- Destin, FL
- Aircraft
- Piper PA28 · Airplane
- Injuries
- 2 fatal, 0 serious, 0 minor
- Damage
- Destroyed
- Position
- 30.400°N, 86.471°W
- NTSB ID
- 20160212X51525
Official records · ERA16LA106
- Public docket: reports, statements and exhibits from the investigation
NTSB summary
On February 12, 2016, about 1850 central standard time, a Piper PA-28-181, N2209W, was destroyed during collision with water while maneuvering to land at Destin Executive Airport (DTS), Destin, Florida. The private pilot and a passenger were fatally injured. The flight departed Pearland Regional Airport (LVJ), Pearland, Texas, about 1715. Night visual meteorological conditions prevailed, and no flight plan was filed for the personal flight, which was conducted under the provisions of Title 14 Code of Federal Regulations Part 91.According to radar data from the Federal Aviation Administration (FAA), the airplane approached DTS from the west, and transitioned along the shore on the south side of the airport for landing on runway 32. The radar track depicted the airplane crossing the approach end of runway 32, then turning upwind on the east side of the runway. The airplane continued in a left circuit around the airport, and its altitude varied between 500 and 700 feet mean sea level (msl). The radar depicted a left turn in a location consistent with a left base turn for landing on runway 32. Instead of continuing to an approximate ground track of 050 degrees for the base leg of the traffic pattern, the airplane rolled out on an approximate ground track of 090 degrees, and flew through the final approach course, west to east, as it tracked parallel to the coast. The airplane then turned 90 degrees to the south and tracked out over the water. The last radar target showed the airplane at 175 feet msl at 128 knots groundspeed. A witness, who was monitoring the CTAF as he approach
Probable cause
The noninstrument-rated pilot's decision to turn the airplane away from the lighted airport at low altitude, over water, with no visible horizon, in dark night conditions, which resulted in spatial disorientation and a loss of airplane control.
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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.
