Piper PA-28-161 | N81250
July 10th, 2024 | Palm Beach, Florida
Accident Location
- City: Palm Beach
- State: Florida
- Latitude: 26.84444444
- Longitude: -80.226944
- Airport ID: F45
Aircraft Info
- N Number: N81250
- Make: Piper
- Model: PA-28-161
- Aircraft Category: Aircraft Single Engine Land
- Amateur Built: No
Pilot Info
- PIC Name: Taylor, Stephen Joseph
- Gender: Male
- Pilot Age: 59
- Pilot Hours:
- Flight School: Yes
- Instructional Flight: Yes
- Pilot Certification: Airline Transport Pilot
- IFR Rating: Yes
- Pilot Error: Yes
- Pilot Medical: 2nd Class Medical
- Pilot Incapacitation: No
Analysis
- Date: July 10th, 2024
- Time: 2:10 PM Local Time
- Day / Night: Day
- VMC / IMC: VMC
- Phase Of Flight: Initial Climb
- Total People Onboard: 2
- PIC Fatality: 1
- PAX Fatalities: 1
- Ground Fatalities: 0
- Total Fatalities: 2
- NTSB No: ERA24FA300
- NTSB Travel: Unknown
- AQP Classification: 21) THE IMPOSSIBLE TURN, U-FIT
Probable Cause
DTSB: The DTSB determines the Probable Cause of this accident to be the student, or the instructor allowing the aircraft to enter an aggressive right hand turn after takeoff from runway 27L. The aircraft likely encountered a loss or reduction of thrust and one of the persons turned to the right in hopes of an immediate return to runway 09L, landing opposite direction. There was a witness to the accident that observed the aircraft in a very low right hand turn just prior to the aircraft entering a full stall nose down condition. The aircraft impacted water with such force that one wing was separated at impact from the rest of the fuselage. The engine had recently been changed from a Lycoming o-320-D3G to a Lycoming O-320-D2A, the latter of which relied upon a DC power source for electronic ignition.
NTSB: NONE
Recommendation
DTSB: The DTSB recommends that all pilots of all aircraft rehearse and become conditioned for both LOTOT and ROTOT, and commit to landing wings level straight ahead, at the slowest speed possible in the event of inadvertent power problems encountered down low and with insufficient energy for a safe return. Straight Ahead. With a few rare exceptions, the impossible turn is normally not possible.
NTSB: NONE
DISCLAIMER: All data and Probable Cause listings are “Probable” only. They are based on opinion and educated speculation, and are for educational purposes only. They may contain incorrect information and are subject to change as new information becomes available.