Valkaria Airport
Aircraft Accident/Incident Report

Melbourne, Florida 32951
Thursday, May 18, 1989 10:55 EDT

NTSB Narrative Summary Released at Completion of Accident

THE CFI ABORTED THE TAKEOFF IMMEDIATELY AFTER LIFTOFF AND DURING THE ABORT THE ACFT RAN OFF THE RWY END AND COLLIDED WITH TREES. THE CFI STATED THAT HE FELT THAT THE ACFT WAS NOT DEVELOPING FULL POWER. POST ACCIDENT INVEST OF THE ENG REVEALED NO EVIDENCE OF MALFUNCTION. THE CFI WAS USING RWY 32 AND THE WIND WAS FROM 080 DEGREES AT 12 KTS. THE DENSITY ALTITUDE WAS ABOUT 1,400 FT. THIS WAS AN INSTRUCTIONAL FLT WITH 3 PERSONS ON BOARD INCLUDING ONE STUDENT PLT AND AN OBSERVER PASSENGER. THE TAKEOFF WAS PART OF A STUDENT PLTS TOUCH & GO LNDG. THE CFI STATED THAT THE TAKEOFF OCCURRED NO MORE THAN HALF WAY DOWN THE 4,000 FT RWY BUT HE DID NOT START BRAKING THE ACFT DURING THE ABORT UNTIL 500-600 FT FROM THE DEPARTURE END OF THE RWY. THE ACFT PROCEEDED THRU THE CLEAR ZONE OF THE OVERRUN INTO TREES AT THE END OF RWY 32.

NTSB Probable Cause Narrative

THE INSTRUCTORS DECISION TO ATTEMPT A TAKEOFF IN A HIGH DENSITY ALTITUDE SITUATION, WITH A QUARTERING TAILWIND.

Event Information

Type of Event Accident
Event Date 5/18/1989
Event Day of the Week Thursday
Time of Event 1055
Event Time Zone Eastern Daylight Time
Event City MELBOURNE
Event State FLORIDA
Event Country --
Zipcode of the event site 32951
Event Date Year 1989
Event Date Month 5
MidAir Collision Indicator No
On Ground Collision occurred ? No
Event Location Latitude
Event Location Longitude
Event Location Airport VALKARIA
Event Location Nearest Airport ID X59
Indicates whether the acc/inc occurred off or on an airport On Airport
Distance from airport in statute miles 0
Degrees magnetic from airport 0
Airport Elevation 25
Weather Briefing Completeness Unknown
Investigator's weather source Weather Observation Facility
Time of the weather observation 1050 Eastern Daylight Time
Direction of event from weather observation facility (degrees) 170
Weather Observation Facility ID MLB
Elevation of weather observation facility 33
Distance of event from weather observation facility (units?) 15
Time Zone of the weather observation EDT
Lighting Conditions Day
Lowest Ceiling Height 0
Lowest Non-Ceiling Height 2500
Sky/Lowest/Cloud Conditions Scattered
Sky Condition for Lowest Ceiling None
Visibility Runway Visual Range (Feet) 0
Visibility Runway Visual Value (Statute Miles) 0
Visibility (Statute Miles) 7
Air Temperature at event time (in degrees celsius) 28
Dew Point at event time (in degress fahrenheit) 21
Wind Direction (degrees magnetic) 80
Variable Wind Indicator Unknown
Wind Speed (knots) 12
Wind Velocity Indicator Unknown
Wind Gust Indicator Not Gusting
Wind Gust (knots) 0
Altimeter Setting at event time (in. Hg) 30
Density Altitude (feet) 1400
Intensity of Precipitation Unknown
METAR weather report --
Event Highest Injury None
On Ground, Fatal Injuries 0
On Ground, Minor Injuries 0
On Ground, Serious Injuries 0
Injury Total Fatal --
Injury Total Minor --
Injury Total None 3
Injury Total Serious --
Injury Total All --
Investigating Agency NTSB
NTSB Docket Number (internal use) 330
NTSB Notification Source --
NTSB Notification Date May 18 1989 12:00AM
NTSB Notification Time 1150
Fiche Number and/or location -used to find docket information 38872
Date of most recent change to record Dec 13 2000 12:41PM
User who most recently changed record dbo
Basic weather conditions Visual Meteorological Cond
FAA District Office --

Aircraft Involved

Aircraft #1

Aircraft Registration Number N29241
NTSB Number MIA89LA149
Missing Aircraft Indicator N
Federal Aviation Reg. Part Part 91: General Aviation
Type of Flight Plan filed None
Flight plan Was Activated? --
Damage Substantial
Aircraft Fire None
Aircraft Explosion None
Aircraft Manufacturer's Full Name PIPER
Aircraft Model PA-28RT-201
Aircraft Series Identifier PA-28RT-20
Aircraft Serial Number 28R-7918157
Certified Max Gross Weight 2750
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 4
Number of Engines 1
Fixed gear or retractable gear Retractable
Aircraft, Type of Last Inspection AAIP
Date of Last Inspection May 9 1989 12:00AM
Airframe hours since last inspection 15
Airframe Hours 4545
ELT Installed Yes
ELT Activated No
ELT Aided Location of Event Site No
ELT Type --
Aircraft Owner Name FLIGHT SAFETY INTERNATIONAL
Aircraft Owner Street Address P.O. BOX 2708
Aircraft Owner City VERO BEACH
Aircraft Owner State FL
Aircraft Owner Country
Aircraft Owner Zipcode 32960
Operator is an individual? --
Operator Name FLIGHT SAFETY INT'L, INC.
Operator Same as Owner? No
Operator Is Doing Business As --
Operator Address Same as Owner? No
Operator Street Address P. O. BOX 2207
Operator City VERO BEACH
Operator State FL
Operator Country
Operator Zip code 32960
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) Instructional
Second Pilot on Board Yes
Departure Point Same as Event No
Departure Airport Code VRB
Departure City VERO BEACH
Departure State FL
Departure Country
Departure Time 943
Departure Time Zone EDT
Destination Same as Local Flt dest & departure same, accident can occur anywhere
Destination Airport Code
Destination City
Destination State
Destination Country
Specific Phase of Flight Takeoff
Report sent to ICAO? --
Evacuation occurred --
Date of most recent change to record Jan 2 2001 10:30AM
User who most recently changed record dbo
Since inspection or accident --
Event Location Runway Number and Location 32
Runway Length 4000
Runway Width 75
Sight Seeing flight No
Air Medical Flight No
Medical Flight --