Piper PA-25-260 accident near Hollywood, Florida, May 31, 2013
On May 31, 2013 at about 10:36 pm local time, a Piper PA-25-260, registered N169AB, was substantially damaged in an accident during landing (landing roll) near Hollywood, Florida (North Perry Airport). It was an instructional flight under general aviation rules (Part 91). No one was hurt; 1 person was on board or involved. The weather was visual conditions (good weather).
The NTSB's probable cause their words, unchanged
The pilot's failure to maintain directional control during the landing roll.
Source: NTSB aviation accident database, copy made October 5, 2026. Docket and reports at the NTSB.
What the record shows
- Date
- May 31, 2013 · about 10:36 pm local time
- Place
- Hollywood, Florida · North Perry Airport · map
- Type
- Accident
- Injuries
- No one was hurt; 1 person was on board or involved.
- Weather
- visual conditions (good weather)
- Aircraft
- Piper PA-25-260 · all PA-25-260s on the register
- Registration
- N169AB · registry record · serial 25-4517
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Instructional flight · general aviation rules (Part 91)
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
According to the operator, the pilot performed several practice banner pick-ups in the tailwheel equipped airplane prior to joining the traffic pattern to land. The final approach was uneventful, the tailwheel contacted the runway first, and then the airplane settled onto the runway. During the landing roll, the airplane veered to the right, and the pilot applied full power in an attempt to "fly out of the ground loop." As the airspeed of the airplane increased, it departed the runway, struck a taxiway sign, and came to rest inverted, which resulted in substantial damage to the fuselage. The pilot reported no preimpact mechanical malfunctions or failures with the airplane that would have precluded normal operation.
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
- Loss of control on ground during landing (landing roll) defining event
- Runway excursion during landing (landing roll)
- Ground collision during landing (landing roll)
The NTSB's findings
- cause Aircraft › Aircraft oper/perf/capability › Performance/control parameters › Directional control › Not attained/maintained
- cause Personnel issues › Task performance › Use of equip/info › Aircraft control › Pilot
Pilot
- Certificate: commercial pilot
- Ratings: multi-engine land; single-engine land; single-engine sea; instrument: airplane
- Flight time: 621 hours in all; 2 in this make and model; 10 in the last 90 days; 10 in the last 30 days; 440 as pilot in command
- Last flight review: August 29, 2012
- Medical certificate: Class 1 (without waivers/limitations)
- Seat: sngl
- Injury: minor injuries
The aircraft
- Airframe total time: 6,636 hours
- Last inspection: 100-hour inspection, May 28, 2013
- Maximum gross weight: 2,900 lb
- Seats: 1
- Landing gear: fixed
- Engine: Lycoming O-540 SERIES (piston); 0 hours total
- Operator: Aerial Banners North INC
The flight
- Departed from: HWO Hollywood FL at 9:30 pm
- Destination: HWO Hollywood FL
- Flight plan: none
- Runway 10L, 3,240 ft by 100 ft
Weather at the time
- Light: dusk
- Wind: from 100° at 10 knots
- Visibility: 10 statute miles
- Sky: broken clouds at 10,000 ft; scat at 2,300 ft
- Temperature: 81°F (27°C), dew point 72°F (22°C)
- Altimeter: 30.03 inHg
- Observation at 10:45 pm from HWO
Injuries
| Fatal | Serious | Minor | None | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Flight crew | 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 N169AB 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.