Piper PA-28-235 accident near Brooksville, Florida, May 9, 2014
On May 9, 2014 at about 2:50 am local time, a 1964 Piper PA-28-235, registered N8683W, was substantially damaged in an accident during landing (flare/touchdown) near Brooksville, Florida (Hernando County airport). It was a personal 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
The pilot’s loss of directional control while landing at night, which resulted in a runway excursion and collision with airport signage. Contributing to the accident was the total loss of electrical power, which necessitated the pilot having to land without the aid of the airplane’s landing lights and some of the available runway lighting.
Source: NTSB aviation accident database, copy made October 5, 2026. Docket and reports at the NTSB.
What the record shows
- Date
- May 9, 2014 · about 2:50 am local time
- Place
- Brooksville, Florida · Hernando County · map
- Type
- Accident
- Injuries
- No one was hurt; 2 people were on board or involved.
- Weather
- visual conditions (good weather)
- Aircraft
- Piper PA-28-235, built 1964 · all PA-28-235s on the register
- Registration
- N8683W · registry record · serial 28-10215
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Personal flight · general aviation rules (Part 91)
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
The pilot reported that the flight departed about 2 hours after sunset and that, several minutes after departure, the airplane's lights began to dim. The pilot reduced the electrical load; however, within several minutes, the airplane lost all electrical power. The pilot chose to continue to the destination airport, which was located 21 nautical miles from the departure airport and was within sight. Upon reaching the airport, the pilot used the runway end identifier lights and the runway's visual approach slope indicator lights to guide the airplane to the runway threshold. Due to the lack of electrical power, he was unable to use the airplane's radio to activate the other available runway lighting or use the airplane's landing lights to help him further locate the runway after crossing the threshold. The pilot misjudged the airplane's height above the runway, and, during the landing flare from an estimated height of about 4 or 5 ft, the airplane impacted the runway. The airplane then veered right, departed the runway, struck an airport sign, and was substantially damaged. A postaccident examination revealed that the alternator had failed, which likely led to the airplane's total loss of electrical power. Review of the airplane's maintenance logs found that no maintenance related to the alternator had been documented in the airplane's 50-year and 2,600-flight-hour history. A survey of airports near the airplane's route of flight showed no continuously lighted airports located within a reasonable distance of the airplane's route.
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
- Electrical system malf/failure during enroute (climb to cruise)
- Abnormal runway contact during landing (flare/touchdown) defining event
- Loss of control on ground during landing (landing roll)
- Runway excursion during landing (landing roll)
The NTSB's findings
- factor Aircraft › Aircraft systems › Electrical power system › Alternator › generator drive sys › Failure
- cause Personnel issues › Task performance › Use of equip/info › Aircraft control › Pilot
- Environmental issues › Conditions/weather/phenomena › Light condition › Dark › Effect on operation
- cause Aircraft › Aircraft oper/perf/capability › Performance/control parameters › Directional control › Not attained/maintained
Pilot
- Certificate: airline transport pilot, flight instructor, commercial pilot
- Ratings: multi-engine land; single-engine land; single-engine sea; instructor: airplane single-engine; instructor: helicopter; instrument: airplane; instrument: helicopter; rotorcraft: helicopter
- Flight time: 7,049 hours in all; 246 in this make and model; 2.5 in the last 90 days; 1 in the last 30 days
- Last flight review: August 13, 2012
- Medical certificate: Class 2 (with waivers/limitations)
- Seat: rgt
- Injury: no injuries
Pilot-Rated Passenger
- Certificate: private
- Ratings: single-engine land
- Flight time: 541 hours in all; 374 in this make and model; 1.3 in the last 90 days; 0.6 in the last 30 days
- Medical certificate: Class 3
- Seat: left
- Injury: no injuries
The aircraft
- Airframe total time: 2,663 hours
- Last inspection: annual inspection, June 5, 2013; 5 hours since
- Maximum gross weight: 3,000 lb
- Seats: 4
- Landing gear: fixed
- Engine: Lycoming O-540-B4B5 (piston); 2,668 hours total
- Operator: Papweb CORP
The flight
- Departed from: INF Inverness FL at 2:25 am
- Destination: BKV Brooksville FL
- Flight plan: none
- Runway 09, 7,002 ft by 150 ft
- A second pilot was aboard
Weather at the time
- Light: night
- Wind: from 090° at 3 knots
- Visibility: 10 statute miles
- Sky: clear
- Temperature: 75°F (24°C), dew point 66°F (19°C)
- Altimeter: 30.18 inHg
- Observation at 2:53 pm from KBKV
Injuries
| Fatal | Serious | Minor | None | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Flight crew | 2 |
Documents from the investigation the NTSB's docket: the evidence folder behind the report
4 documents, released by the NTSB on December 31, 2014. View them here, or download them; the NTSB redacts some personal details before release, and this site shows the NTSB's own titles rather than its file names.
| # | Document | What it is | |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Pilot/operator Aircraft Accident Report, NTSB Form 6120.1 | PDF, 11 pages | View Download |
| 2 | Photo 1 – View of Damage to Horizontal Stabilizer (Photo Courtesy of FAA) | PDF, 1 page | View Download |
| 3 | Maintenance Log Excerpt | PDF, 1 page | View Download |
| 4 | Chart Showing Airplane’s Route and Nearest Continuously Lit Airport | PDF, 2 pages | View Download |
The same docket at the NTSB · documents without a copy here are fetched from the NTSB when you open them.
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.