Piper PA28 accident near Naples, Florida, January 30, 2020
On January 30, 2020 at about 7:15 pm local time, a 1963 Piper PA28, registered N7047W, was substantially damaged in an accident during landing (flare/touchdown) near Naples, Florida (Naples Muni airport). It was a personal 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).
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The NTSB's probable cause their words, unchanged
The pilot's improper landing flare, which resulted in a bounced landing, and his subsequent failure to maintain directional control, which resulted in a runway excursion and impact with sign.
Source: NTSB aviation accident database, copy made October 4, 2026. Docket and reports at the NTSB.
What the record shows
- Date
- January 30, 2020 · about 7:15 pm local time
- Place
- Naples, Florida · Naples Muni · map
- Type
- Accident
- Injuries
- No one was hurt; 3 people were on board or involved.
- Weather
- visual conditions (good weather)
- Aircraft
- Piper PA28 180, built 1963 · all PA28s on the register
- Registration
- N7047W · registry record · serial 28-793
- 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, while landing, the airplane bounced slightly and drifted left of centerline. He overcorrected to the right with the rudder, and when the airplane touched down again, the nosewheel was angled to the right. The airplane then exited the runway onto adjacent grass, and the right wing impacted a taxiway sign, which resulted in substantial damage to the wing. The pilot reported that there were no preaccident mechanical failures or malfunctions 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
- Abnormal runway contact during landing (flare/touchdown)
- Loss of control on ground during landing (flare/touchdown) defining event
- Attempted remediation/recovery during landing (landing roll)
- Runway excursion during landing (landing roll)
- Collision with terrain or object (not controlled flight into terrain) 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
- cause Aircraft › Aircraft oper/perf/capability › Performance/control parameters › Landing flare › Not attained/maintained
- cause Environmental issues › Physical environment › Object/animal/substance › Sign/marker › Effect on operation
Pilot
- Certificate: private
- Ratings: single-engine land
- Flight time: 188 hours in all; 122 in this make and model; 10 in the last 90 days; 4 in the last 30 days; 133 as pilot in command
- Last flight review: March 21, 2019
- Medical certificate: Class 3 (with waivers/limitations)
- Seat: left
- Injury: no injuries
The aircraft
- Airframe total time: 2,525 hours
- Last inspection: 100-hour inspection, December 3, 2019
- Maximum gross weight: 2,400 lb
- Seats: 4
- Landing gear: fixed
- Engine: Lycoming O-360-A2A (piston); 0 hours total
- Operator: Apflight Llc
The flight
- Departed from: X06 Arcadia FL at 6:30 pm
- Destination: APF Naples FL
- Flight plan: none
- Runway 05, 6,600 ft by 150 ft
Weather at the time
- Light: daylight
- Visibility: 10 statute miles
- Sky: clear
- Temperature: 73°F (23°C), dew point 54°F (12°C)
- Altimeter: 29.93 inHg
- Observation at 7:20 pm from KAPF
Injuries
| Fatal | Serious | Minor | None | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Flig | 1 | |||
| Passengers | 2 |
About this page
Everything above comes from the NTSB's public accident database: the narrative, probable cause and findings are the NTSB's own words, and the coded tables behind its report (pilot, aircraft, flight, weather, injuries, sequence of events) are written out in plain English. Pilots' ages, home towns and medical details are left out on purpose. The docket at the NTSB holds the report as a PDF and the investigation's photographs and documents. This site never names pilots, passengers or anyone else involved. A preliminary report describes what is known soon after the event and can change; the final report, with the probable cause, usually follows one to two years later and this page is refreshed when it does. Case number ERA20CA099.