Piper PA28 accident near Melbourne, Florida, February 13, 2024
On February 13, 2024 at about 11:40 pm local time, a 2013 Piper PA28, registered N650FT, was substantially damaged in an accident during taxi (into takeoff position) near Melbourne, Florida (Melbourne Orlando Intl airport). It was an instructional 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).
The NTSB's probable cause their words, unchanged
The pilot receiving instruction’s failure to correctly identify the runway centerline prior to initiating the nighttime takeoff, which resulted in a collision with a runway edge light and subsequent runway excursion. Contributing to the accident was the flight instructor's inadequate monitoring of the pilot.
Source: NTSB aviation accident database, copy made October 5, 2026. Docket and reports at the NTSB.
What the record shows
- Date
- February 13, 2024 · about 11:40 pm local time
- Place
- Melbourne, Florida · Melbourne Orlando Intl · map
- Type
- Accident
- Injuries
- No one was hurt; 3 people were on board or involved.
- Weather
- visual conditions (good weather)
- Aircraft
- Piper PA28 181, built 2013 · all PA28s on the register
- Registration
- N650FT · registry record · serial 2843710
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Instructional flight · general aviation rules (Part 91)
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
The pilot receiving instruction reported that after receiving clearance from the control tower to take off, he taxied onto the runway during nighttime conditions. As the airplane proceeded along the center of the taxiway, he mistook the right runway edge line for the runway centerline and attempted to take off. During the takeoff roll, the airplane impacted a runway edge light, and went into the grass area adjacent to the runway. The airplane sustained substantial damage to the horizontal stabilator and the right wing during the accident. The pilot and the flight instructor reported 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
- Runway excursion during takeoff
- Wrong surface or wrong airport during taxi (into takeoff position) defining event
The NTSB's findings
- Personnel issues › Action/decision › Info processing/decision › Identification/recognition › Student/instructed pilot
- Environmental issues › Conditions/weather/phenomena › Light condition › Dark › Response/compensation
- Personnel issues › Psychological › Attention/monitoring › Monitoring other person › Instructor/check pilot
Pilot
- Certificate: private
- Ratings: single-engine land; instrument: airplane
- Flight time: 177 hours in all; 45 in this make and model; 13 in the last 90 days; 9 in the last 30 days; 88 as pilot in command; 0 on instruments
- Last flight review: January 30, 2024
- Medical certificate: Class 1 (without waivers/limitations)
- Seat: left
- Injury: no injuries
Flight instructor
- Certificate: flight instructor, commercial pilot
- Ratings: multi-engine land; single-engine land; instructor: airplane single-engine; instructor: instrument airplane; instrument: airplane
- Flight time: 1,108 hours in all; 274 in this make and model; 190 in the last 90 days; 77 in the last 30 days; 1,014 as pilot in command; 776 on instruments
- Last flight review: February 5, 2024
- Medical certificate: Class 1 (without waivers/limitations)
- Seat: rgt
- Injury: no injuries
Passenger
- Seat: rgt
- Injury: no injuries
The aircraft
- Airframe total time: 5,758.6 hours
- Last inspection: 100-hour inspection, January 13, 2024; 97.3 hours since
- Maximum gross weight: 2,550 lb
- Seats: 4
- Landing gear: fixed
- Engine: Lycoming O-360-A4M (piston); 5,407 hours total
The flight
- Departed from: MLB Melbourne FL at 11:40 pm
- Destination: SRQ Sarasota FL
- Flight plan: IFR
- Runway 09R, 10,181 ft by 150 ft
- A second pilot was aboard
Weather at the time
- Light: night
- Wind: from 040° at 6 knots
- Visibility: 10 statute miles
- Sky: clear
- Temperature: 63°F (17°C), dew point 55°F (13°C)
- Altimeter: 30.03 inHg
- Observation at 6:53 pm from MLB
Weather report (METAR): KMLB 132353Z 04006KT 10SM CLR 17/13 A3003 RMK AO2 SLP167 T01720128 10239 20172 51027 $
Injuries
| Fatal | Serious | Minor | None | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Flight crew | 2 | |||
| Passengers | 1 |
Photographs from the investigation 4 pictures from the NTSB's docket, as the NTSB released them
Photograph 1 – Airplane at accident site
Photograph 2 – Impacted runway light location
Photograph 3 – Damage to the stabilator
Photograph 4 – Crack found in the right-wing structureThe NTSB's photographs with the NTSB's captions, at screen size. Open a picture to see it full size or to report one that should not be shown.
Documents from the investigation the NTSB's docket: the evidence folder behind the report
6 documents, released by the NTSB on April 30, 2024. 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 | Mor Pilot Interview | PDF, 1 page | View Download |
| 3 | Mor Instructor Statement | PDF, 2 pages | View Download |
| 4 | Mor Instructor Interview | PDF, 1 page | View Download |
| 5 | Mor - FAA Inspector's Statement | PDF, 1 page | View Download |
| 6 | Investigation Photographs | PDF, 5 pages · our copy | 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.