Piper J5A accident near Hollywood, Florida, February 15, 2001
On February 15, 2001 at about 8:15 pm local time, a Piper J5A, registered N35288, was substantially damaged in an accident near Hollywood, Florida (North Perry Airport). It was a business 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 improper inflight planning/decision and inadequate fuel consumption calculations that resulted in fuel exhaustion and substantial damage to the aircraft as a result of a hard landing during the emergency descent/landing.
Source: NTSB aviation accident database, copy made October 5, 2026. Docket and reports at the NTSB.
What the record shows
- Date
- February 15, 2001 · about 8:15 pm local time
- Place
- Hollywood, Florida · North Perry Airport · map
- Type
- Accident
- Injuries
- No one was hurt; 1 person was on board or involved.
- Weather
- visual conditions (good weather)
- Aircraft
- Piper J5A · all J5As on the register
- Registration
- N35288 · registry record · serial 5-605
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Business flight · general aviation rules (Part 91)
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
The pilot stated that the ground crew had inadvertently added an additional forty letters to the tow, which required a higher cruise power setting. The pilot further stated that in addition, company dispatch asked that he attempt to overtake another company aircraft and attract the pilot's attention, and that effort took an additional 20 minutes of flight, at a higher power setting. The pilot said that when he returned to the airport to drop the banner, and he applied power during the maneuver, the aircraft engine ceased operating, and the aircraft landed hard, incurring substantial damage. Postaccident examination of the aircraft revealed that the fuel in the fuel tank had been depleted.
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: single-engine land
- Flight time: 7,000 hours in all; 200 in this make and model; 6,950 as pilot in command
- Last flight review: January 30, 2001
- Medical certificate: Class 2 (valid medical--no waivers/lim.)
- Seat: frt
- Injury: no injuries
The aircraft
- Airframe total time: 3,691 hours
- Last inspection: annual inspection, November 1, 2000; 36 hours since
- Seats: 1
- Landing gear: fixed
- Engine: Textron Lyc. O-360-A2E (piston); 0 hours total
The flight
- Departed from: HWO Pembroke Pines FL at 5:00 pm
- Flight plan: none
Weather at the time
- Light: daylight
- Wind: from 210° at 10 knots
- Visibility: 12 statute miles
- Sky: clear
- Temperature: 88°F (31°C), dew point 57°F (14°C)
- Altimeter: 29.80 inHg
- Observation at 3:45 pm from MIA, 15 miles away
Injuries
| Fatal | Serious | Minor | None | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Crew | 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.