Piper PA-28R-200 accident near Deland, Florida, January 12, 2015
On January 12, 2015 at about 8:45 pm local time, a 1970 Piper PA-28R-200, registered N5033S, was substantially damaged in an accident during landing near Deland, Florida (Deland Taylor 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 instrument conditions (cloud, fog or low visibility).
The NTSB's probable cause their words, unchanged
The pilot's inadequate preflight weather planning and decision to land in an area with known convective wind gusts, which resulted in a loss of control and subsequent hard landing.
Source: NTSB aviation accident database, copy made October 5, 2026. Docket and reports at the NTSB.
What the record shows
- Date
- January 12, 2015 · about 8:45 pm local time
- Place
- Deland, Florida · Deland Taylor Airport · map
- Type
- Accident
- Injuries
- No one was hurt; 1 person was on board or involved.
- Weather
- instrument conditions (cloud, fog or low visibility)
- Aircraft
- Piper PA-28R-200, built 1970 · all PA-28R-200s on the register
- Registration
- N5033S · registry record · serial 28R-35762
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Personal flight · general aviation rules (Part 91)
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
The pilot stated that he had decided to return to his originating airport after having been advised by air traffic control of an inbound thunderstorm during a local flight. The pilot obtained an instrument flight rules clearance and headed towards the airport, which was in the direction of the storm. During the first landing attempt on runway 30, the pilot noted strong wind gusts and "extreme precipitation," but elected to continue the landing. About 30 feet above the runway, a "strong windshear" forced the airplane onto the runway, which resulted in substantial damage to the left wing. The airplane subsequently lifted off the ground again and the pilot initiated a go-around. The pilot circled the runway and aborted three more attempts before he successfully landed the airplane. He reported that there were no preimpact mechanical malfunctions or anomalies that could have precluded normal operation. The pilot stated that he had obtained some weather information prior to his departure, but was not aware of the thunderstorm. A review of weather radar revealed the presence of strong winds and heavy precipitation over the pilot's originating airport at the time of the accident. Winds reported at the accident site about 10 minutes after the accident were from 320 degrees at 16 knots, gusting to 27 knots. There were also area forecasts for convective activity and Convective Sigmets that had been issued for the pilot's route of flight about one hour and thirty minutes prior to his departure.
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
- Windshear or thunderstorm during landing defining event
- Hard landing during landing
The NTSB's findings
- cause Personnel issues › Task performance › Planning/preparation › Weather planning › Pilot
- cause Personnel issues › Action/decision › Info processing/decision › Decision making/judgment › Pilot
- cause Aircraft › Aircraft oper/perf/capability › Performance/control parameters › Landing flare › Attain/maintain not possible
- Environmental issues › Conditions/weather/phenomena › Convective weather › Thunderstorm › Effect on operation
Pilot
- Certificate: private
- Ratings: single-engine land; instrument: airplane
- Flight time: 311 hours in all; 67 in this make and model; 42 in the last 90 days; 12 in the last 30 days; 192 as pilot in command
- Last flight review: November 9, 2013
- Medical certificate: Class 1 (without waivers/limitations)
- Seat: left
- Injury: no injuries
The aircraft
- Airframe total time: 2,633.7 hours
- Last inspection: annual inspection, December 1, 2014; 45 hours since
- Maximum gross weight: 2,750 lb
- Seats: 4
- Landing gear: fixed
- Engine: Lycoming IO-360-C1C5 (piston); 5,655 hours total
- Operator: Skyline Solutions INC
The flight
- Departed from: EVB New Smyrna FL at 8:25 pm
- Destination: DED Deland FL
- Flight plan: none
- Runway 30, 6,001 ft by 100 ft
Weather at the time
- Light: daylight
- Wind: from 320° at 16 knots, gusting 27
- Sky: broken clouds at 100 ft
- Temperature: 66°F (19°C), dew point 64°F (18°C)
- Observation at 8:55 pm from DED
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.