Piper PA-28-181 accident near Ocean Reef Club, Florida, January 26, 2000
On January 26, 2000 at about 2:50 pm local time, a Piper PA-28-181, registered N9578C, was substantially damaged in an accident near Ocean Reef Club, Florida (Ocean Reef Club airport). It was a personal flight under general aviation rules (Part 91). No one was hurt; 2 people were on board or involved. The weather was visual conditions (good weather).
The NTSB's probable cause their words, unchanged
The failure of the pilot to maintain directional control of the airplane while taxiing after landing resulting in the on-ground collision with high vegetation.
Source: NTSB aviation accident database, copy made October 5, 2026. Docket and reports at the NTSB.
What the record shows
- Date
- January 26, 2000 · about 2:50 pm local time
- Place
- Ocean Reef Club, Florida · Ocean Reef Club · map
- Type
- Accident
- Injuries
- No one was hurt; 2 people were on board or involved.
- Weather
- visual conditions (good weather)
- Aircraft
- Piper PA-28-181 · all PA-28-181s on the register
- Registration
- N9578C · no longer on the register · serial 28-7890424
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Personal flight · general aviation rules (Part 91)
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
The pilot stated that while on the downwind leg of the traffic pattern to land, he was advised that the wind was from 330 degrees with gusts to 18 knots. The flight continued and while either on base or final approach, he heard the flightcrew of a Falcon airplane announce that the flight was 10 miles out, inbound. The pilot of the accident airplane landed uneventfully and while back taxiing on the runway at a reported speed of 4-5 mph, the airplane turned to the left. He applied right aileron but the airplane traveled off the runway and collided with hedges. Examination of the runway by an FAA inspector revealed continuous skid marks measuring 45 feet in length from both main landing gear to the point where the airplane exited the runway. The skid marks begin before a 10 foot by 12 foot discolored portion of the runway. Following temporary repairs to the airplane, it was flown to where it was based and no discrepancies pertaining to the brakes were noted by the pilot; the brakes were not worked on following the accident. Additionally, examination of the fractured nose steering components revealed no evidence of preimpact failure or malfunction.
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; single-engine sea; instrument: airplane
- Flight time: 1,650 hours in all; 20 in this make and model; 4 in the last 90 days; 1,575 as pilot in command
- Medical certificate: Class 3 (valid medical--w/ waivers/lim.)
- Seat: left
The aircraft
- Airframe total time: 4,563 hours
- Last inspection: 100-hour inspection, September 28, 1999; 106 hours since
- Maximum gross weight: 2,550 lb
- Seats: 4
- Landing gear: fixed
- Engine: Lycoming O-360-A4M (piston); 0 hours total
The flight
- Departed from: PMP Pompano Beach FL at 2:10 pm
- Destination: X09
- Flight plan: none
- Runway 4, 4,500 ft
Weather at the time
- Light: daylight
- Wind: from 360° at 15 knots, gusting 21
- Visibility: 7 statute miles
- Sky: scat at 3,200 ft
- Temperature: 52°F (11°C), dew point 36°F (2°C)
- Altimeter: 30.00 inHg
- Observation at 2:55 pm from HST, 12 miles away
Injuries
| Fatal | Serious | Minor | None | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Crew | 1 | |||
| Passengers | 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.
Other NTSB records under N9578C the same tail number, which may have belonged to a different aircraft at the time
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.