Piper PA-23-160 accident near Titusville, Florida, May 19, 2000
On May 19, 2000 at about 1:12 pm local time, a Piper PA-23-160, registered N3492P, was destroyed in an accident near Titusville, Florida (Space Coast Regional airport). It was an instructional flight under general aviation rules (Part 91). 1 person was killed and 1 person was seriously injured. The weather was visual conditions (good weather).
The NTSB's probable cause their words, unchanged
The failure of the PIC to maintain control of the aircraft while in the simulated engine inoperative configuration in the landing pattern during a checkout flight resulting in an uncontrolled descent and collision with trees. A factor in the accident is the inadequate monitoring of aircraft control by the checkout pilot.
Source: NTSB aviation accident database, copy made October 5, 2026. Docket and reports at the NTSB.
What the record shows
- Date
- May 19, 2000 · about 1:12 pm local time
- Place
- Titusville, Florida · Space Coast Regional · map
- Type
- Accident
- Injuries
- 1 person was killed and 1 person was seriously injured.
- Weather
- visual conditions (good weather)
- Aircraft
- Piper PA-23-160 · all PA-23-160s on the register
- Registration
- N3492P · no longer on the register · serial 23-1468
- Damage
- Destroyed
- Flight
- Instructional flight · general aviation rules (Part 91)
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
According to an eyewitness, the tower controller at Space Coast Regional Airport, Titusville, Florida, (TIX), who was controlling the flight in the landing pattern, when the airplane approached the right pattern abeam-of-landing point to runway 09, it abruptly entered a wings vertical attitude and dove for the ground. The CFI, the survivor, stated postcrash, that he was giving dual check-out procedures to the rated Commercial MEL pilot who was flying. When the CFI zero-thrusted the right engine in preparation for single engine landing practice, the aircraft abruptly entered a half roll to the left, pitched down, and collided with the terrain. Postcrash examination of the engines, airframe, and their components revealed nothing causal. The CFI stated he was not 'on the controls with the pilot' and did not know what control pressures he may have been applying. He also stated that outflow from nearby power plant smoke stacks and a recent runway change from 27 to 09 may have contributed to turbulence or air instability. Two tower controllers, one with 23 years experience at the TIX airport, and the other with 19 years at the TIX airport, stated that neither of them have ever heard an aircraft in the pattern complain of smoke stack generated air instability.
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
Pilot
- Certificate: commercial pilot
- Ratings: multi-engine land; single-engine land; instrument: airplane
- Flight time: 600 hours in all; 2 in the last 90 days; 2 in the last 30 days
- Medical certificate: Class 1 (valid medical--no waivers/lim.)
- Seat: left
The aircraft
- Airframe total time: 7,817 hours
- Last inspection: 100-hour inspection, May 9, 2000; 52 hours since
- Maximum gross weight: 3,800 lb
- Seats: 4
- Landing gear: retractable
- Engine: Lycoming O-320-B3B (piston); 0 hours total
The flight
- Departed from: X21 FL at 1:00 pm
- Destination: TIX FL
- Flight plan: none
- Runway 9, 5,001 ft by 100 ft
- A second pilot was aboard
Weather at the time
- Light: daylight
- Wind: from 120° at 6 knots
- Visibility: 7 statute miles
- Sky: scat at 4,000 ft
- Temperature: 75°F (24°C), dew point 45°F (7°C)
- Altimeter: 30.00 inHg
- Observation at 1:12 pm from TIX, 1 miles away
Injuries
| Fatal | Serious | Minor | None | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Crew | 1 | 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.