Individually Owned: 150,657
Corporate Owned: 137,281
St. Augustine Airport
Aircraft Accident/Incident Report
St. Augustine, Florida 32095
Wednesday, February 6, 2008 19:55 EST
NTSB Narrative Summary Released at Completion of Accident
The airplane departed on runway 6 at St. Augustine (SGJ) Airport, St. Augustine, FL, and proceeded off the end of the runway into the marshy waters of the Intracoastal Waterway. According to the pilot, "The air traffic controller told me that I was good there and gave me clearance to depart 31. I understood that to mean I was on [runway] 31 and clear for departure so I completed my pre-takeoff checklist and began my ground roll. Then I noticed I was on the wrong runway and tried to stop, but was too late and the momentum carried me into the marsh." According to the FAA's preliminary report, the student solo pilot arrived from Deland, Florida and requested to taxi back to the active runway for departure. The controller instructed the pilot to make a left turn on B2 then taxi to runway 31 via taxiway B, and hold short of runway 31 at taxiway B4. The pilot acknowledged the clearance. The pilot taxied past taxiway B4 and went onto runway 6/24. While on runway 6/24 and short of runway 31, the pilot requested progressive taxi instructions from the tower controller. The controller advised the pilot, "You're fine where you're at. Are you ready to go?" The pilot stated that he was ready to depart. The controller instructed "Zero foxtrot tango, runway 31 at runway six intersection, cleared for takeoff left turn southbound." The pilot read back "cleared for takeoff." According to the preliminary report, the tower controller observed the aircraft make a turn onto runway 31 at runway 6 intersection and then returned to do administrative duties, (the hourly weather). The pilot had departed straight ahead on runway 6 from the intersection of runway 6/31 with approximately 200 feet of runway remaining. A short time later the pilot buzzed the tower door and advised the controller that he had ran off the runway into the Intracoastal Waterway.
NTSB Probable Cause Narrative
The pilot's failure to adhere to the controller's takeoff instruction. Contributing to the incident was the controller's failure to properly monitor the flight, and the controller's decision to perform lesser duty priorities during the takeoff roll.
Event Information
| Type of Event | Incident |
| Event Date | 2/6/2008 |
| Event Day of the Week | Wednesday |
| Time of Event | 1955 |
| Event Time Zone | Eastern Standard Time |
| Event City | St. Augustine |
| Event State | FLORIDA |
| Event Country | -- |
| Zipcode of the event site | 32095 |
| Event Date Year | 2008 |
| Event Date Month | 2 |
| MidAir Collision Indicator | No |
| On Ground Collision occurred ? | No |
| Event Location Latitude | 295755N |
| Event Location Longitude | 0812063W |
| Event Location Airport | St. Augustine |
| Event Location Nearest Airport ID | SGJ |
| Indicates whether the acc/inc occurred off or on an airport | -- |
| Distance from airport in statute miles | 0 |
| Degrees magnetic from airport | -- |
| Airport Elevation | 10 |
| Weather Briefing Completeness | -- |
| Investigator's weather source | Weather Observation Facility |
| Time of the weather observation | 1955 Eastern Standard Time |
| Direction of event from weather observation facility (degrees) | 60 |
| Weather Observation Facility ID | KSGJ |
| Elevation of weather observation facility | 10 |
| Distance of event from weather observation facility (units?) | 0 |
| Time Zone of the weather observation | EST |
| Lighting Conditions | Night/Dark |
| Lowest Ceiling Height | -- |
| Lowest Non-Ceiling Height | -- |
| Sky/Lowest/Cloud Conditions | Clear |
| Sky Condition for Lowest Ceiling | None |
| Visibility Runway Visual Range (Feet) | -- |
| Visibility Runway Visual Value (Statute Miles) | -- |
| Visibility (Statute Miles) | 10 |
| Air Temperature at event time (in degrees celsius) | 24 |
| Dew Point at event time (in degress fahrenheit) | 13 |
| Wind Direction (degrees magnetic) | 230 |
| Variable Wind Indicator | Wind direction could be determined |
| Wind Speed (knots) | 6 |
| Wind Velocity Indicator | -- |
| Wind Gust Indicator | Not Gusting |
| Wind Gust (knots) | -- |
| Altimeter Setting at event time (in. Hg) | 29.97 |
| Density Altitude (feet) | -- |
| Intensity of Precipitation | -- |
| METAR weather report | -- |
| Event Highest Injury | None |
| On Ground, Fatal Injuries | -- |
| On Ground, Minor Injuries | -- |
| On Ground, Serious Injuries | -- |
| Injury Total Fatal | -- |
| Injury Total Minor | -- |
| Injury Total None | 1 |
| Injury Total Serious | -- |
| Injury Total All | -- |
| Investigating Agency | NTSB |
| NTSB Docket Number (internal use) | 23730 |
| NTSB Notification Source | FAA |
| NTSB Notification Date | Feb 7 2008 12:00AM |
| NTSB Notification Time | -- |
| Fiche Number and/or location -used to find docket information | DMS |
| Date of most recent change to record | Jun 30 2008 11:48AM |
| User who most recently changed record | NTSB\johb |
| Basic weather conditions | Visual Meteorological Cond |
| FAA District Office | HQ |
Aircraft Involved |
|
|---|---|
Aircraft #1 |
|
| Aircraft Registration Number | -- |
| NTSB Number | OPS08IA006 |
| Missing Aircraft Indicator | -- |
| Federal Aviation Reg. Part | -- |
| Type of Flight Plan filed | VFR |
| Flight plan Was Activated? | No |
| Damage | Minor |
| Aircraft Fire | None |
| Aircraft Explosion | None |
| Aircraft Manufacturer's Full Name | Piper |
| Aircraft Model | PA-28-161 |
| Aircraft Series Identifier | -- |
| Aircraft Serial Number | 2842T81 |
| Certified Max Gross Weight | -- |
| Aircraft Category | Airplane |
| Aircraft Registration Class | -- |
| Aircraft is a homebuilt? | No |
| Flight Crew Seats | -- |
| Cabin Crew Seats | -- |
| Passenger Seats | -- |
| Total number of seats on the aircraft | 4 |
| Number of Engines | -- |
| Fixed gear or retractable gear | Fixed |
| Aircraft, Type of Last Inspection | -- |
| Date of Last Inspection | -- |
| Airframe hours since last inspection | -- |
| Airframe Hours | -- |
| ELT Installed | -- |
| ELT Activated | -- |
| ELT Aided Location of Event Site | -- |
| ELT Type | -- |
| Aircraft Owner Name | -- |
| Aircraft Owner Street Address | -- |
| Aircraft Owner City | Deland |
| Aircraft Owner State | FL |
| Aircraft Owner Country | USA |
| Aircraft Owner Zipcode | 32720 |
| Operator is an individual? | Yes |
| Operator Name | -- |
| Operator Same as Owner? | No |
| Operator Is Doing Business As | -- |
| Operator Address Same as Owner? | No |
| Operator Street Address | -- |
| Operator City | York |
| Operator State | ME |
| Operator Country | USA |
| Operator Zip code | 03909 |
| Operator Code | -- |
| Owner has at least one certificate | None |
| Other Operator of large aircraft? | -- |
| Certified for Part 133 or 137 Operation | -- |
| 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 | -- |
| Departure Point Same as Event | Yes |
| Departure Airport Code | SGJ |
| Departure City | St. Augustine |
| Departure State | FL |
| Departure Country | USA |
| Departure Time | 1955 |
| Departure Time Zone | EST |
| Destination Same as Local Flt | -- |
| Destination Airport Code | KDED |
| Destination City | Deland |
| Destination State | FL |
| Destination Country | USA |
| Specific Phase of Flight | Takeoff - roll/run |
| Report sent to ICAO? | -- |
| Evacuation occurred | -- |
| Date of most recent change to record | Apr 9 2008 12:50PM |
| User who most recently changed record | ROWS |
| Since inspection or accident | -- |
| Event Location Runway Number and Location | 06 |
| Runway Length | 2701 |
| Runway Width | 60 |
| Sight Seeing flight | No |
| Air Medical Flight | No |
| Medical Flight | -- |