Piper PA23 accident near Milton, Florida, December 6, 2020
On December 6, 2020 at about 7:45 pm local time, a Piper PA23, registered N78329, was substantially damaged in an accident during landing (landing roll) near Milton, Florida (Peter Prince Field 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
The pilot’s failure to attain a proper touchdown point and his landing with a high approach speed, which resulted in a runway overrun.
Source: NTSB aviation accident database, copy made October 5, 2026. Docket and reports at the NTSB.
What the record shows
- Date
- December 6, 2020 · about 7:45 pm local time
- Place
- Milton, Florida · Peter Prince Field Airport · map
- Type
- Accident
- Injuries
- No one was hurt; 1 person was on board or involved.
- Weather
- visual conditions (good weather)
- Aircraft
- Piper PA23 250 · all PA23s on the register
- Registration
- N78329 · registry record · serial 27-2329
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Personal flight · general aviation rules (Part 91)
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
The pilot/owner was conducting a no-flap landing in the multiengine airplane. The pilot stated that the left main landing gear brake failed on rollout, and the airplane then overran the end of the 3,701-foot-long runway. The left wing struck part of the runway’s lighting system, which resulted in substantial damage to the airplane’s left wing. A witness stated that the airplane landed with at a high speed and touched down at/about midfield. A cursory examination of the airplane’s brakes following the accident revealed no evidence of any preaccident mechanical malfunctions for failures that would have precluded normal operation. Review of the airplane’s maintenance records revealed that the airplane did not have a current annual inspection. Further, the pilot did not hold a multi-engine rating for airplanes, did maintain a personal flight logbook, did not have an endorsement documenting a flight review (or other equivalent proficiency) within the preceding 24 calendar months. Based on the pilot’s lack of certification to operate multiengine airplane and proof of recent flight history, he was likely not proficient in operating the airplane. Further, he likely landed long and fast with insufficient runway remaining to slow down, which resulted in the runway overrun.
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
- Runway excursion during landing (landing roll) defining event
The NTSB's findings
- Aircraft › Aircraft oper/perf/capability › Performance/control parameters › Descent/approach/glide path › Not attained/maintained
- Personnel issues › Action/decision › Info processing/decision › Decision making/judgment › Pilot
- Personnel issues › Task performance › Use of equip/info › Aircraft control › Pilot
- Aircraft › Aircraft oper/perf/capability › Performance/control parameters › Airspeed › Not attained/maintained
Pilot
- Certificate: private
- Ratings: single-engine land
- Flight time: 161 hours in all
- Medical certificate: Class 3 (with waivers/limitations)
- Seat: left
- Injury: no injuries
The aircraft
- Airframe total time: 3,866.1 hours
- Last inspection: 100-hour inspection, September 8, 2011
- Seats: 6
- Landing gear: retractable
- Engine 1: Lycoming O-540-A1D5 (piston); 0 hours total
- Engine 2: Lycoming O-540-A1D5 (piston); 0 hours total
The flight
- Flight plan: none
- Runway 18, 3,701 ft by 75 ft
Weather at the time
- Light: daylight
- Wind: from 180° at 5 knots
- Visibility: 10 statute miles
- Sky: clear
- Temperature: 63°F (17°C), dew point 32°F (0°C)
- Altimeter: 29.98 inHg
- Observation at 1:56 pm from NDZ, 4 miles away
Injuries
| Fatal | Serious | Minor | None | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Flight crew | 1 |
Documents from the investigation the NTSB's docket: the evidence folder behind the report
4 documents, released by the NTSB on May 18, 2021. 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 | FAA Inspector's Statement and Record of Conversation with Pilot | PDF, 5 pages | View Download |
| 2 | FAA Record of Conversations - Witnesses | PDF, 3 pages | View Download |
| 3 | FAA Record of Conversations - Mechanic | PDF, 1 page | View Download |
| 4 | Photos | 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.