Piper PA-28-161 N9245Q

Summary

On 24 May 2008 at about 15:55 local time, a Piper PA-28-161 registered N9245Q 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

24 May 2008 at 15:55

Classification

Accident

Location

Vero Beach, Florida, United States

Nearest airport

Vero Beach Municiple Airport (VRB)

Coordinates

27.6556, -80.4181

Aircraft

Piper PA-28-161

Registration

N9245Q

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 → Unknown

Aircraft damage

Substantial

Weather

VMC

Light

Day

NTSB number

NYC08CA193

Nobody was injured.

The student pilot's failure to maintain directional control during takeoff. Contributing to the accident was a crosswind.

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

Read the full NTSB narrative

According to the solo student pilot of the Piper PA-28-161, he initiated a takeoff on runway 29L, a 7,314-foot-long, 100-foot-wide, asphalt runway. As the airplane reached an airspeed of 55 knots, he felt the right wing "drop toward the runway." The airplane pivoted to the left and departed the runway into the grass. The right wing and the right side of the nose section impacted a taxiway sign. The right main landing gear assembly separated from the airplane, damaging an adjacent wing rib. The student pilot and an instructor flew the airplane on the previous flight, practiced takeoffs and landings, and reported no anomalies with the airplane. The student pilot reported no mechanical deficiencies during the accident flight. The reported wind at the airport, about the time of the accident, was from 260 degrees at 9 knots.

Quoted verbatim from the NTSB record.