Piper PA-24-250 accident near Palm Bch Garden, Florida, August 11, 1997
On August 11, 1997 at about 10:45 pm local time, a Piper PA-24-250, registered N8213P, was destroyed in an accident near Palm Bch Garden, Florida (North Palm Beach airport). It was an instructional flight under general aviation rules (Part 91). 3 people were killed. The weather was visual conditions (good weather).
The NTSB's probable cause their words, unchanged
loss of engine power for undetermined reasons and the pilot's failure to maintain flying speed.
Source: NTSB aviation accident database, copy made October 5, 2026. Docket and reports at the NTSB.
What the record shows
- Date
- August 11, 1997 · about 10:45 pm local time
- Place
- Palm Bch Garden, Florida · North Palm Beach · map
- Type
- Accident
- Injuries
- 3 people were killed.
- Weather
- visual conditions (good weather)
- Aircraft
- Piper PA-24-250 · all PA-24-250s on the register
- Registration
- N8213P · no longer on the register · serial 24-3466
- Damage
- Destroyed
- Flight
- Instructional flight · general aviation rules (Part 91)
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
The training flight had made several touch-and-go landings, and was on climb out when the accident occurred. An eyewitness working on the ramp reported that he heard a loud sound like a backfire just as the engine quit. The airplane was at about 250 feet as it entered an abrupt steep left turn. The airplane turned almost 180 degrees and impacted the ground in a near vertical attitude. The airplane wreckage was 180 feet left of the extended centerline of the departure runway. The airplane erupted into flames almost immediately. During the on site aircraft wreckage examination, flight control continuity was established. The engine sustained extensive fire damage. The accessory section of the engine was also fire damaged. Crankshaft and camshaft continuity was established. During the engine teardown, all internal components exhibited normal wear.
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: commercial pilot
- Ratings: multi-engine land; single-engine land; instrument: airplane
- Flight time: 856 hours in all; 628 as pilot in command; 521 on instruments
- Medical certificate: Class 1 (valid medical--no waivers/lim.)
- Seat: rgt
The aircraft
- Last inspection: annual inspection
- Maximum gross weight: 2,100 lb
- Seats: 4
- Landing gear: fixed
- Engine: Lycoming O-540-A1D5 (piston); 0 hours total
The flight
- Departed from: F45
- Flight plan: none
- Runway 23, 4,300 ft by 75 ft
- A second pilot was aboard
Weather at the time
- Light: daylight
- Wind: from 070° at 6 knots
- Visibility: 10 statute miles
- Sky: broken clouds at 25,000 ft; scat at 2,000 ft
- Temperature: 86°F (30°C), dew point 82°F (28°C)
- Altimeter: 30.00 inHg
Injuries
| Fatal | Serious | Minor | None | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Crew | 2 | |||
| Passengers | 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.
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.