Piper PA-28-151 accident near Daytona Beach, Florida, April 26, 2013
On April 26, 2013 at about 9:42 pm local time, a 1976 Piper PA-28-151, registered N75148, was substantially damaged in an accident during initial climb near Daytona Beach, Florida (Spruce Creek Airport). It was a personal 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
A total loss of engine power during initial climb for reasons that could not be determined because postaccident examinations did not reveal any preimpact failures or malfunctions that would have precluded normal operation.
Source: NTSB aviation accident database, copy made October 5, 2026. Docket and reports at the NTSB.
What the record shows
- Date
- April 26, 2013 · about 9:42 pm local time
- Place
- Daytona Beach, Florida · Spruce Creek Airport · map
- Type
- Accident
- Injuries
- No one was hurt; 1 person was on board or involved.
- Weather
- visual conditions (good weather)
- Aircraft
- Piper PA-28-151, built 1976 · all PA-28-151s on the register
- Registration
- N75148 · no longer on the register · serial 28-7615259
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Personal flight · general aviation rules (Part 91)
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
After completing an annual inspection of the airplane, the student pilot completed a preflight inspection and notified his flight instructor that he was going to depart. He reported that, while taxiing toward the runway, the engine stalled. He then "shut everything down" and spoke to a mechanic about what had just happened. The mechanic advised him that the fuel selector was in the "OFF" position. The student pilot then moved the fuel selector to the left-tank position. The student pilot then restarted the airplane, taxied onto the runway, and took off. About 300 feet above ground level, the engine "sputtered." The pilot then leveled off the airplane and the engine restarted, but it lost power again. He then radioed that he was going to make an emergency landing, maintained the best glide speed, and tried to reland on the runway, but he missed the runway due to a "gust of wind" that pushed the airplane right. The pilot then lowered the nose to avoid trees and houses beyond the end of the runway. The airplane touched down right of the runway centerline, skipped once, and then slid to a stop. The airplane sustained substantial damage to the wings and fuselage. Data recorded by the airplane's onboard engine data monitoring system were consistent with a loss of engine power after takeoff, the power returning, and then a second loss of engine power. A postaccident engine test run did not reveal any preimpact failures or malfunctions that would have precluded normal operation. Fuel was found in both fuel tanks. The atmospheric conditions at the time of the accident were not conducive to the accumulation of carburetor ice.
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 engine power (total) during initial climb defining event
- Off-field or emergency landing during emergency descent
- Hard landing during landing
- Landing gear collapse during landing
- Collision with terrain or object (not controlled flight into terrain) during landing (landing roll)
The NTSB's findings
- cause Not determined › Not determined › (general) › (general) › Unknown/Not determined
Dual student
- Certificate: student
- Flight time: 55 hours in all; 55 in this make and model
- Medical certificate: Class 2 (with waivers/limitations)
- Seat: left
- Injury: no injuries
The aircraft
- Airframe total time: 3,984 hours
- Last inspection: annual inspection, April 26, 2013; 0 hours since
- Maximum gross weight: 2,325 lb
- Seats: 4
- Landing gear: fixed
- Engine: Lycoming 0-320 SERIES (piston); 5,076 hours total
The flight
- Departed from: 7FL6 Daytona Beach FL at 9:41 pm
- Destination: TIX Titusville FL
- Flight plan: none
- Runway 05, 4,000 ft by 176 ft
Weather at the time
- Light: daylight
- Wind: from 070° at 12 knots
- Visibility: 10 statute miles
- Sky: a few clouds at 3,000 ft
- Temperature: 79°F (26°C), dew point 68°F (20°C)
- Altimeter: 30.22 inHg
- Observation at 9:47 pm from EVB, 5 miles away
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.
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.