Piper PA-28-181 accident near Fort Lauderdale, Florida, June 23, 2004
On June 23, 2004 at about 3:35 pm local time, a Piper PA-28-181, registered N9578C, was substantially damaged in an accident near Fort Lauderdale, Florida (Fort Lauderdale Executive airport). It was a personal flight under general aviation rules (Part 91). 2 people were killed and 1 person was seriously injured. The weather was visual conditions (good weather).
The NTSB's probable cause their words, unchanged
The pilot's inadequate preflight planning which resulted in the loss of engine power due to fuel exhaustion, and the pilot's failure to maintain flying speed which resulted in an inadvertent stall, and the subsequent collision with a building.
Source: NTSB aviation accident database, copy made October 5, 2026. Docket and reports at the NTSB.
What the record shows
- Date
- June 23, 2004 · about 3:35 pm local time
- Place
- Fort Lauderdale, Florida · Fort Lauderdale Executive · map
- Type
- Accident · collision on the ground
- Injuries
- 2 people were killed and 1 person was seriously injured.
- Weather
- visual conditions (good weather)
- Aircraft
- Piper PA-28-181 · all PA-28-181s on the register
- Registration
- N9578C · no longer on the register · serial 28-7890424
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Personal flight · general aviation rules (Part 91)
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
During climb-out, at approximately 500 feet, the pilot radioed a 'MAYDAY MAYDAY" distress call. According to witnesses on the ground as the airplane climbed out the engine began to make a "sputtering noise" and then stopped. The airplane was observed in a left turn, by the tower controller, and descended out of sight. The pilot made no other radio transmissions. The airplane collided nose down into the roof of a commercial building about 1/2 mile from the departure end of runway 13. All flight control surfaces, and components were accounted for and identified at the wreckage site. Prior to the accident flight on June 23, 2004 the airplane was refueled with 16 gallons of 100LL. The fuel tank had compression damage to the leading edge and the tank was breached. There was no hydraulic type damage noted to the tank. Disassembly of the carburetor found no fuel in the bowl or in the acceleration pump. No fuel was noted in the engine driven fuel pump and only a trace amount was found in the fuel lines. The gascolator was crush damaged and the bowl was separated. The fuel boost pump was teardown and no blockage of the filter was noted. A trace amount of fuel was found inside the pump. No fuel was found at the accident site.
The complete narrative as the NTSB published it. The NTSB's docket holds the report as a PDF and any photographs, statements and other documents from the investigation.
The factual record from the NTSB's investigation tables, in plain English
Pilot
- Certificate: private
- Ratings: single-engine land
- Flight time: 199 hours in all; 199 in this make and model
- Last flight review: April 8, 2004
- Medical certificate: Class 3 (valid medical--w/ waivers/lim.)
- Seat: left
- Injury: fatal
The aircraft
- Airframe total time: 3,605 hours
- Last inspection: annual inspection, October 1, 2003; 3,605 hours since
- Maximum gross weight: 2,600 lb
- Seats: 4
- Landing gear: fixed
- Engine: Lycoming O-360 (piston); 0 hours total
The flight
- Departed from: FXE Fort Lauderdale FL at 3:33 pm
- Destination: PMP Pompano Beach FL
- Flight plan: none
- Runway 13, 4,000 ft by 100 ft
Weather at the time
- Light: daylight
- Visibility: 10 statute miles
- Sky: clear
- Temperature: 77°F (25°C), dew point 77°F (25°C)
- Altimeter: 30.10 inHg
- Observation at 3:53 pm from FXE
Injuries
| Fatal | Serious | Minor | None | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Crew | 1 | |||
| Passengers | 1 | 1 |
Documents from the investigation the NTSB's docket: the evidence folder behind the report
The docket, the folder of records gathered during an investigation (maintenance records, photographs, witness statements, examinations), has not been read from the NTSB for this case yet; the list appears here once it has. Open the docket at the NTSB.
Other NTSB records under N9578C the same tail number, which may have belonged to a different aircraft at the time
Everything on this page comes from the NTSB's public records. The narrative, probable cause and findings are the NTSB's own words; the coded tables behind the report are written out in plain English, with pilots' ages, home towns and medical details left out. The documents and photographs are the NTSB's docket, shown as the NTSB released them. This site's own text never names anyone involved. A preliminary report can change; the final report usually follows one to two years later, and the page is refreshed when it does.