Piper PA-28-161 N9204L

Summary

On 29 February 2008 at about 14:53 local time, a Piper PA-28-161 registered N9204L was involved in an accident near Vero Beach, Florida, United States. One person was on board and nobody was injured. The aircraft was substantially damaged. The NTSB has published a probable cause for this accident; it is quoted in full below.

Date

29 February 2008 at 14:53

Classification

Accident

Location

Vero Beach, Florida, United States

Nearest airport

Vero Beach Municipal Airport (KVRB)

Coordinates

27.6592, -80.4189

Aircraft

Piper PA-28-161

Registration

N9204L

Category

Airplane

Engines

1

Operator

Not recorded

Operating rule

Part 91: General Aviation

Purpose of flight

Instructional

Phase of flight

Not recorded

Route

Vero Beach → St. Augustine

Aircraft damage

Substantial

Weather

VMC

Light

Day

NTSB number

MIA08CA069

Nobody was injured.

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

Quoted verbatim from the NTSB record. This site does not paraphrase or interpret it.

Read the full NTSB narrative

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.

Quoted verbatim from the NTSB record.