Piper J5-A accident near Vero Beach, Florida, January 20, 1998
On January 20, 1998 at about 6:50 pm local time, a Piper J5-A, registered N38645, was substantially damaged in an accident near Vero Beach, Florida (New Hibiscus airport). It was an instructional flight under general aviation rules (Part 91). No one was hurt; 2 people were on board or involved. The weather was visual conditions (good weather).
The NTSB's probable cause their words, unchanged
loss of engine power for undetermined reasons.
Source: NTSB aviation accident database, copy made October 5, 2026. Docket and reports at the NTSB.
What the record shows
- Date
- January 20, 1998 · about 6:50 pm local time
- Place
- Vero Beach, Florida · New Hibiscus · map
- Type
- Accident
- Injuries
- No one was hurt; 2 people were on board or involved.
- Weather
- visual conditions (good weather)
- Aircraft
- Piper J5-A · all J5-As on the register
- Registration
- N38645 · registry record · serial 5-1030
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Instructional flight · general aviation rules (Part 91)
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
After completing 15 minutes of airwork, the training flight returned to the airport and the pilots established a normal approach for a series of touch-and-go landings. The pilots used the normal pre-landing check procedures that included the application of carburetor heat. After a wheel landing, with the carburetor heat in the cold position, the dual student continued the landing roll and applied takeoff power for a climb. The airplane operated normally until it was 100-150 feet above the ground. Without warning, the engine lost power. The pilots elected to continue the runway heading and collided with trees during the forced landing An examination of the engine assembly disclosed that both magnetos produced ignition sparks for all cylinders. The spark plugs appeared to have been relatively new and showed normal wear. A small quantity of fuel and water was recovered from the carburetor bowl; there was no evidence of water found in the fuel system fuel filters. The airplane lost engine power approximately 20 minutes into the planned 1.1 hour flight. A review of recovered weather data from the nearest reporting facility disclosed that, weather conditions were favorable for the formation of carburetor ice at glide and cruise power settings.
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: flight instructor, commercial pilot
- Ratings: multi-engine land; multi-engine sea; single-engine land; single-engine sea; instructor: airplane multi-engine; instructor: airplane single-engine; instructor: instrument airplane; instrument: airplane
- Flight time: 2,800 hours in all; 10 in this make and model; 200 in the last 90 days; 80 in the last 30 days; 2,700 as pilot in command; 1,900 on instruments
- Medical certificate: Class 1 (valid medical--no waivers/lim.)
- Seat: rear
The aircraft
- Airframe total time: 1,650 hours
- Last inspection: annual inspection; 15 hours since
- Maximum gross weight: 1,649 lb
- Seats: 2
- Landing gear: fixed
- Engine: Lycoming O-235C (piston); 0 hours total
The flight
- Departed from: X52 at 6:30 pm
- Flight plan: none
- Runway 18, 3,100 ft by 100 ft
- A second pilot was aboard
Weather at the time
- Light: daylight
- Wind: at 6 knots
- Visibility: 15 statute miles
- Sky: overcast at 20,000 ft; scat at 3,000 ft
- Temperature: 21°F (-6°C), dew point 12°F (-11°C)
- Altimeter: 29.00 inHg
- Observation at 6:52 pm from VRB, 8 miles away
Injuries
| Fatal | Serious | Minor | None | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Crew | 2 |
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.