St. Lucie County Int'l Airport
Aircraft Accident/Incident Report

Fort Pierce, Florida 34946
Sunday, September 11, 1994 18:08 EDT

NTSB Narrative Summary Released at Completion of Accident

THE PILOT ATTEMPTED A TAKEOFF WITH AN 11 KNOT RIGHT CROSSWIND. WITNESSES STATED THE AIRCRAFT APPEARED TAIL HEAVY AND THAT DURING THE TAKEOFF ROLL THE TAIL DRAGGED AND BOUNCED ON THE GROUND. THE AIRCRAFT DRIFTED TO THE LEFT DURING TAKEOFF AND THE PILOT LIFTED THE AIRCRAFT OFF THE RUNWAY PRIOR TO NORMAL LIFT OFF SPEED. THE AIRCRAFT CONTINUED TO VEER TO THE LEFT AND TOUCHED DOWN IN A NOSE HIGH ATTITUDE IN THE GRASS ADJACENT TO THE RUNWAY. THE AIRCRAFT THEN COLLIDED WITH A DRAINAGE DITCH AND CAME TO REST ON A PARKING RAMP.

NTSB Probable Cause Narrative

THE PILOT'S INADEQUATE COMPENSATION FOR WIND CONDITIONS AND PREMATURE LIFT-OFF. THE CROSSWIND WAS A FACTOR.

Event Information

Type of Event Accident
Event Date 9/11/1994
Event Day of the Week Sunday
Time of Event 1808
Event Time Zone Eastern Daylight Time
Event City FORT PIERCE
Event State FLORIDA
Event Country --
Zipcode of the event site 34946
Event Date Year 1994
Event Date Month 9
MidAir Collision Indicator No
On Ground Collision occurred ? No
Event Location Latitude
Event Location Longitude
Event Location Airport ST. LUCIE COUNTY INT'L
Event Location Nearest Airport ID FPR
Indicates whether the acc/inc occurred off or on an airport On Airport
Distance from airport in statute miles 1
Degrees magnetic from airport 320
Airport Elevation 26
Weather Briefing Completeness Full
Investigator's weather source Weather Observation Facility
Time of the weather observation 1810 Eastern Daylight Time
Direction of event from weather observation facility (degrees) 320
Weather Observation Facility ID FPR
Elevation of weather observation facility 26
Distance of event from weather observation facility (units?) 1
Time Zone of the weather observation EDT
Lighting Conditions Day
Lowest Ceiling Height 20000
Lowest Non-Ceiling Height 1500
Sky/Lowest/Cloud Conditions Scattered
Sky Condition for Lowest Ceiling Broken
Visibility Runway Visual Range (Feet) 0
Visibility Runway Visual Value (Statute Miles) 0
Visibility (Statute Miles) 10
Air Temperature at event time (in degrees celsius) --
Dew Point at event time (in degress fahrenheit) --
Wind Direction (degrees magnetic) 70
Variable Wind Indicator Unknown
Wind Speed (knots) 11
Wind Velocity Indicator Unknown
Wind Gust Indicator Not Gusting
Wind Gust (knots) 0
Altimeter Setting at event time (in. Hg) 30
Density Altitude (feet) --
Intensity of Precipitation Unknown
METAR weather report --
Event Highest Injury Minor
On Ground, Fatal Injuries 0
On Ground, Minor Injuries 0
On Ground, Serious Injuries 0
Injury Total Fatal --
Injury Total Minor 2
Injury Total None 4
Injury Total Serious --
Injury Total All 2
Investigating Agency NTSB
NTSB Docket Number (internal use) 692
NTSB Notification Source --
NTSB Notification Date Sep 12 1994 12:00AM
NTSB Notification Time 730
Fiche Number and/or location -used to find docket information IMAGE
Date of most recent change to record Dec 6 2000 12:16PM
User who most recently changed record dbo
Basic weather conditions Visual Meteorological Cond
FAA District Office --

Aircraft Involved

Aircraft #1

Aircraft Registration Number N8056P
NTSB Number MIA94LA209
Missing Aircraft Indicator N
Federal Aviation Reg. Part Part 91: General Aviation
Type of Flight Plan filed VFR
Flight plan Was Activated? --
Damage Substantial
Aircraft Fire None
Aircraft Explosion None
Aircraft Manufacturer's Full Name PIPER
Aircraft Model PA-32-301
Aircraft Series Identifier PA-32-301
Aircraft Serial Number 32-8206017
Certified Max Gross Weight 3600
Aircraft Category Airplane
Aircraft Registration Class U.S. Registered/U.S. Soil
Aircraft is a homebuilt? No
Flight Crew Seats --
Cabin Crew Seats --
Passenger Seats --
Total number of seats on the aircraft 6
Number of Engines 1
Fixed gear or retractable gear Fixed
Aircraft, Type of Last Inspection 100 Hour
Date of Last Inspection Aug 24 1994 12:00AM
Airframe hours since last inspection 19
Airframe Hours 2862
ELT Installed Yes
ELT Activated No
ELT Aided Location of Event Site Unknown
ELT Type --
Aircraft Owner Name PATRICK AFB AERO CLUB
Aircraft Owner Street Address P.O. BOX 4013
Aircraft Owner City PATRICK AFB
Aircraft Owner State FL
Aircraft Owner Country
Aircraft Owner Zipcode 32925
Operator is an individual? --
Operator Name
Operator Same as Owner? Yes
Operator Is Doing Business As --
Operator Address Same as Owner? Yes
Operator Street Address
Operator City
Operator State
Operator Country
Operator Zip code
Operator Code
Owner has at least one certificate None
Other Operator of large aircraft? No
Certified for Part 133 or 137 Operation Unknown
Operator Certificate Number --
Indicates whether an air carrier operation was scheduled or not --
Indicates Domestic or International Flight --
Operator carrying Pax/Cargo/Mail --
Type of Flying (Per_Bus / Primary) Personal
Second Pilot on Board Unknown
Departure Point Same as Event Yes
Departure Airport Code
Departure City
Departure State
Departure Country
Departure Time 1808
Departure Time Zone EDT
Destination Same as Local Flt --
Destination Airport Code MLB
Destination City MELBOURNE
Destination State FL
Destination Country
Specific Phase of Flight Takeoff
Report sent to ICAO? --
Evacuation occurred --
Date of most recent change to record Dec 6 2000 12:16PM
User who most recently changed record dbo
Since inspection or accident --
Event Location Runway Number and Location 32
Runway Length 4756
Runway Width 100
Sight Seeing flight No
Air Medical Flight No
Medical Flight --