Piper PA-28-161 accident near Palm Beach Gardens, Florida, July 10, 2024
On July 10, 2024 at about 6:08 pm local time, a 1979 Piper PA-28-161, registered N81250, was substantially damaged in an accident during initial climb near Palm Beach Gardens, Florida (North Palm Beach County Genera airport). It was an instructional flight under general aviation rules (Part 91). 2 people were killed. The weather was visual conditions (good weather).
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The NTSB's probable cause their words, unchanged
A loss of engine power for reasons that could not be determined.
Source: NTSB aviation accident database, copy made October 4, 2026. Docket and reports at the NTSB.
What the record shows
- Date
- July 10, 2024 · about 6:08 pm local time
- Place
- Palm Beach Gardens, Florida · North Palm Beach County Genera · map
- Type
- Accident
- Injuries
- 2 people were killed.
- Weather
- visual conditions (good weather)
- Aircraft
- Piper PA-28-161, built 1979 · all PA-28-161s on the register
- Registration
- N81250 · registry record · serial 28-8016147
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Instructional flight · general aviation rules (Part 91)
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
About three hours into a cross-country instructional flight, the private pilot and flight instructor were performing a touch-and-go landing when during takeoff, the airplane reached an altitude of 75 ft above ground level (agl), made a right 180° turn, and impacted a pond just beyond the departure end of the runway. The airplane had undergone significant maintenance in the days before the accident and its maintenance logbooks had not been properly endorsed for flight. The maintenance performed included an engine replacement and modification of the engine’s magnetos, air box, and oil filter. Additionally, the airplane was modified with a backup battery as required by the installation of the electronic magnetos. Despite the lack of documentation regarding the work performed, postaccident examination of the airplane and engine did not reveal evidence of any preimpact mechanical malfunctions or failures that would have precluded normal operation. About 12 to 14 gallons of fuel remained in the left wing fuel tank. The right wing had separated in the pond and the right wing fuel tank was breached. Only pond water was recovered from the right main fuel tank. The fuel selector was found positioned to the right fuel tank. Although a fuel receipt indicated that 18 gallons of fuel was added to the airplane before the flight, the fuel quantity in the right fuel tank at the time of the accident could not be determined due to impact damage. Based on the available information, it is likely that the engine lost power during takeoff and the pilots attempted to return to the runway with insufficient altitude to complete the turn. The reason for the power loss could not be determined based on the available information.
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
- Unknown or undetermined during initial climb defining event
- Collision with terrain or object (not controlled flight into terrain) during emergency descent
The NTSB's findings
- Not determined › Not determined › (general) › (general) › Unknown/Not determined
Flight instructor
- Certificate: flight instructor, commercial pilot
- Ratings: multi-engine land; single-engine land; instructor: airplane multi-engine; instructor: airplane single-engine; instrument: airplane
- Flight time: 9,000 hours in all; 9,999 in this make and model
- Medical certificate: Class 2 (with waivers/limitations)
- Seat: rgt
- Injury: fatal
Pilot
- Certificate: private
- Ratings: single-engine land
- Flight time: 164 hours in all; 99 in this make and model
- Medical certificate: Class 3 (without waivers/limitations)
- Seat: left
- Injury: fatal
The aircraft
- Airframe total time: 8,074 hours
- Last inspection: annual inspection, December 8, 2023
- Seats: 4
- Landing gear: fixed
- Engine: Lycoming O-320 SERIES (piston); 0 hours total
The flight
- Departed from: SRQ Sarasota FL at 3:21 pm
- Flight plan: IFR
- Runway 27L, 4,300 ft by 100 ft
- A second pilot was aboard
Weather at the time
- Light: daylight
- Wind: from 230° at 5 knots
- Visibility: 10 statute miles
- Sky: overcast at 14,000 ft; a few clouds at 5,000 ft
- Temperature: 88°F (31°C), dew point 79°F (26°C)
- Altimeter: 30.00 inHg
- Observation at 2:53 pm from PBI, 11 miles away
Weather report (METAR): KPBI 101853Z 23005KT 10SM FEW050 OVC140 31/26 A3000 RMK AO2 SLP160 T03110261
Injuries
| Fatal | Serious | Minor | None | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Flig | 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 ERA24FA300.