Piper PA-28-161 accident near Okeechobee, Florida, September 21, 2011
On September 21, 2011 at about 8:15 pm local time, a Piper PA-28-161, registered N9249L, was substantially damaged in an accident during approach (VFR pattern final) near Okeechobee, Florida (Okeechobee County Airport). It was an instructional flight under general aviation rules (Part 91). No one was hurt; 3 people were on board or involved. The weather was visual conditions (good weather).
The NTSB's probable cause their words, unchanged
The student pilot's failure to maintain the proper glidepath during a power-off landing and the flight instructor's delayed remedial action.
Source: NTSB aviation accident database, copy made October 5, 2026. Docket and reports at the NTSB.
What the record shows
- Date
- September 21, 2011 · about 8:15 pm local time
- Place
- Okeechobee, Florida · Okeechobee County Airport · map
- Type
- Accident
- Injuries
- No one was hurt; 3 people were on board or involved.
- Weather
- visual conditions (good weather)
- Aircraft
- Piper PA-28-161 · all PA-28-161s on the register
- Registration
- N9249L · no longer on the register · serial 2841257
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Instructional flight · general aviation rules (Part 91)
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
According to the certified flight instructor (CFI), the student pilot entered the downwind leg of the traffic pattern and reduced the power to idle when the airplane was abeam the runway numbers in order to perform a power-off landing. The airplane slowed to glide speed, and the student pilot selected 10 degrees of flaps and turned onto the base leg. After turning onto final approach, the airplane's airspeed decreased to below 60 knots, and the CFI advised the student pilot to perform a go-around. The CFI then took control of the airplane to prevent an "imminent stall" and applied full power, but the airplane continued to descend. The airplane struck trees and a fence and then impacted the ground. The CFI subsequently reduced the power to idle and applied the brakes. However, the airplane struck another fence, turned 180 degrees, and came to rest in a grassy area to the left of the runway. The airplane sustained substantial damage to the wings and fuselage during the accident sequence. The CFI did not report any preexisting mechanical anomalies with the airplane.
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
What happened, in order
- Collision during takeoff/land during approach (VFR pattern final) defining event
- Collision with terrain or object (not controlled flight into terrain) during landing (flare/touchdown)
- Hard landing during landing (flare/touchdown)
The NTSB's findings
- cause Personnel issues › Action/decision › Action › Incorrect action performance › Student pilot
- cause Personnel issues › Action/decision › Action › Delayed action › Instructor/check pilot
- cause Aircraft › Aircraft oper/perf/capability › Performance/control parameters › Descent/approach/glide path › Not attained/maintained
Flight instructor
- Certificate: flight instructor, commercial pilot
- Ratings: multi-engine land; single-engine land; instructor: airplane single-engine; instructor: instrument airplane; instrument: airplane
- Flight time: 964 hours in all; 253 in this make and model; 132 in the last 90 days; 18 in the last 30 days; 871 as pilot in command; 650 on instruments
- Last flight review: May 31, 2010
- Medical certificate: Class 3 (without waivers/limitations)
- Seat: rgt
- Injury: no injuries
Dual student
- Certificate: student
- Flight time: 38 hours in all; 38 in this make and model; 38 in the last 90 days; 14 in the last 30 days; 3 as pilot in command
- Medical certificate: Class 1 (without waivers/limitations)
- Seat: left
- Injury: no injuries
The aircraft
- Airframe total time: 11,787 hours
- Last inspection: approved inspection programme, September 16, 2011
- Maximum gross weight: 2,325 lb
- Seats: 4
- Landing gear: fixed
- Engine: Lycoming O-320 SERIES (piston); 0 hours total
- Operator: Flightsafety International
The flight
- Departed from: PHK Pahokee FL at 7:38 pm
- Destination: OBE Okeechobee FL
- Flight plan: VFR
- Runway 14, 4,000 ft by 75 ft
- A second pilot was aboard
Weather at the time
- Light: daylight
- Wind: from 100° at 7 knots
- Visibility: 10 statute miles
- Sky: broken clouds at 5,500 ft
- Temperature: 82°F (28°C), dew point 91°F (33°C)
- Altimeter: 29.97 inHg
- Observation at 7:55 pm from OBE
Injuries
| Fatal | Serious | Minor | None | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Flight 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.