Vero Beach Municipal Airport
Aircraft Accident/Incident Report

Vero Beach, Florida 32960
Friday, February 29, 2008 10:53 EDT

NTSB Narrative Summary Released at Completion of Accident

The student pilot's instructor briefed and reviewed with the student several operational issues, including crosswind components limitations, before the accident flight, which was to be a solo cross country flight. The student pilot stated, as he aligned on the runway he noted the wind direction and deflected the ailerons accordingly. During the takeoff roll, approximately 36 knots on the airspeed indicator, the left wing suddenly lifted off the ground and the airplane tilted to the left. He elected to abort the takeoff. The airplane continued rolling to the left towards the grass. The right wing hit a distance marker on the left side of the runway, which was 2,000 feet down the runway. The student pilot stated there were no mechanical failures or malfunctions to the airplane or any of its systems prior to the accident.

NTSB Probable Cause Narrative

The student pilot's failure to maintain directional control of the airplane during an aborted takeoff.

Event Information

Type of Event Accident
Event Date 2/29/2008
Event Day of the Week Friday
Time of Event 1053
Event Time Zone Eastern Daylight Time
Event City Vero Beach
Event State FLORIDA
Event Country --
Zipcode of the event site 32960
Event Date Year 2008
Event Date Month 2
MidAir Collision Indicator No
On Ground Collision occurred ? No
Event Location Latitude 273933N
Event Location Longitude 0802508W
Event Location Airport Vero Beach Municipal Airport
Event Location Nearest Airport ID KVRB
Indicates whether the acc/inc occurred off or on an airport On Airport
Distance from airport in statute miles --
Degrees magnetic from airport --
Airport Elevation 24
Weather Briefing Completeness --
Investigator's weather source Weather Observation Facility
Time of the weather observation
Direction of event from weather observation facility (degrees) --
Weather Observation Facility ID KVRB
Elevation of weather observation facility --
Distance of event from weather observation facility (units?) --
Time Zone of the weather observation --
Lighting Conditions Day
Lowest Ceiling Height --
Lowest Non-Ceiling Height 4600
Sky/Lowest/Cloud Conditions Few
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) 19
Dew Point at event time (in degress fahrenheit) 9
Wind Direction (degrees magnetic) 80
Variable Wind Indicator Wind direction could be determined
Wind Speed (knots) 11
Wind Velocity Indicator --
Wind Gust Indicator Gusting
Wind Gust (knots) 0
Altimeter Setting at event time (in. Hg) 30.39
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 Docket Number (internal use) 23497
NTSB Notification Source Orlando FSDO, FSDO-15
NTSB Notification Date --
NTSB Notification Time --
Fiche Number and/or location -used to find docket information DMS
Date of most recent change to record Apr 30 2008 1:28PM
User who most recently changed record NTSB\johb
Basic weather conditions Visual Meteorological Cond
FAA District Office --

Aircraft Involved

Aircraft #1

Aircraft Registration Number N9204L
NTSB Number MIA08CA069
Missing Aircraft Indicator --
Federal Aviation Reg. Part Part 91: General Aviation
Type of Flight Plan filed VFR
Flight plan Was Activated? No
Damage Substantial
Aircraft Fire None
Aircraft Explosion --
Aircraft Manufacturer's Full Name Piper
Aircraft Model PA-28-161
Aircraft Series Identifier --
Aircraft Serial Number 2841004
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 --
Number of Engines 1
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 Flight Safety Academy
Aircraft Owner Street Address --
Aircraft Owner City --
Aircraft Owner State --
Aircraft Owner Country --
Aircraft Owner Zipcode --
Operator is an individual? No
Operator Name --
Operator Same as Owner? Yes
Operator Is Doing Business As --
Operator Address Same as Owner? No
Operator Street Address --
Operator City Vero Beach
Operator State FL
Operator Country USA
Operator Zip code --
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) Instructional
Second Pilot on Board --
Departure Point Same as Event Yes
Departure Airport Code KVRB
Departure City Vero Beach
Departure State FL
Departure Country USA
Departure Time --
Departure Time Zone EDT
Destination Same as Local Flt --
Destination Airport Code KSGJ
Destination City St. Augustine
Destination State FL
Destination Country USA
Specific Phase of Flight --
Report sent to ICAO? --
Evacuation occurred --
Date of most recent change to record Apr 16 2008 2:08PM
User who most recently changed record KENJ
Since inspection or accident --
Event Location Runway Number and Location 11R
Runway Length 7314
Runway Width 100
Sight Seeing flight No
Air Medical Flight No
Medical Flight --