Piper PA-24-250 accident near Micanopy, Florida, January 13, 2002
On January 13, 2002 at about 5:49 am local time, a Piper PA-24-250, registered N8263P, was destroyed in an accident near Micanopy, Florida. It was a personal flight under general aviation rules (Part 91). 2 people were killed. The weather was visual conditions (good weather).
The NTSB's probable cause their words, unchanged
The pilot's experiencing spatial disorientation while maneuvering at a low altitude at night under visual meteorological conditions which resulted in an uncontrolled descent and an in-flight collision with a tree.
Source: NTSB aviation accident database, copy made October 5, 2026. Docket and reports at the NTSB.
What the record shows
- Date
- January 13, 2002 · about 5:49 am local time
- Place
- Micanopy, Florida · map
- Type
- Accident
- Injuries
- 2 people were killed.
- Weather
- visual conditions (good weather)
- Aircraft
- Piper PA-24-250 · all PA-24-250s on the register
- Registration
- N8263P · no longer on the register · serial 24-3516
- Damage
- Destroyed
- Flight
- Personal flight · general aviation rules (Part 91)
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
An individual with Flightline Inc., at Gainesville Regional Airport, stated that he refueled N8263P, and at the pilot's request, he added 30 gallons of fuel. He stated that the pilot said he wanted the extra fuel as a safety precaution, but elected not to "top-off" the airplane. According to the refueler, at the time he was refueling the accident airplane, the clouds were low, and there was light rain. He further stated that he heard the two occupants of the airplane state that they had just flown from Pennsylvania, and they joked about being tired, and "dragging", after being in the airplane for such a long time. He further stated that they were concerned about leaving, and said about two or three times that they were too close to their final destination of Williston, Florida, and they did not want to stay in Gainesville, Florida. According to an official with the FAA Gainesville Flight Service Station, the flight departed early Sunday morning, and during the departure, the pilot stated that he was "departing VFR to the south." There was no further communications with the pilot of the accident airplane. Near the time of the accident, the visibility and cloud conditions reported at the Gainesville Regional Airport were visibility 10 statute miles and the sky condition was scattered clouds at 2200 feet and 3000 feet with broken clouds at 10000 feet. According to radar data obtained from the Cross City, Florida ARSR-4 radar facility, the airplane departed Gainesville Regional Airport at approximately 0035 and proceeded in the direction of Williston, Florida. Radar data shows that the flight path of the airplane consisted of numerous course changes, altitude variations between 1900 feet and 800 feet, and groundspeed variations between approximately 150 knots and 91 knots over a period of about 13 minutes from departure until radar contact was lost. Examination of the last 36 seconds of radar data shows the airplane in a right hand descending turn. During the period from 12 seconds, until the loss of radar contact, the average rate of descent and groundspeed were 2500 feet per minute and 150 knots respectively. The airplane was at an altitude of about 800 feet when radar contact was lost. The airplane struck a tree at approximately the fifty foot level, impacting the ground at about a 20 degree angle approximately 150 feet from the tree. The debris field was about 300 feet long, and oriented along a heading 312 degrees. Examination of the airplane's engine, flight controls, and airframe did not reveal any evidence of preaccident anomalies.
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: private
- Ratings: single-engine land
- Flight time: 306 hours in all
- Medical certificate: Class 3 (valid medical--w/ waivers/lim.)
- Seat: left
- Injury: fatal
Crew member
- Certificate: commercial pilot
- Ratings: multi-engine land; single-engine land; instrument: airplane
- Flight time: 283 hours in all; 0 in this make and model; 25 in the last 90 days; 4 in the last 30 days; 209 as pilot in command; 0 on instruments
- Medical certificate: Class 2 (valid medical--no waivers/lim.)
- Seat: rgt
- Injury: fatal
The aircraft
- Airframe total time: 5,680 hours
- Last inspection: 100-hour inspection, July 13, 2001
- Maximum gross weight: 2,900 lb
- Seats: 4
- Landing gear: retractable
- Engine: Lycoming IO-540-C1B5 (piston); 0 hours total
- Fire on the ground
The flight
- Departed from: GNV Gainesville FL at 5:32 am
- Destination: X60 Williston FL
- Flight plan: none
- A second pilot was aboard
Weather at the time
- Light: night
- Wind: from 210° at 11 knots
- Visibility: 10 statute miles
- Sky: broken clouds at 10,000 ft; scat at 2,200 ft
- Temperature: 63°F (17°C), dew point 57°F (14°C)
- Altimeter: 29.86 inHg
- Observation at 5:53 am from GNV, 8 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.
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.