Piper PA38 accident near Pensacola, Florida, December 8, 2002
On December 8, 2002 at about 10:50 pm local time, a Piper PA38, registered N2585B, was substantially damaged in an accident near Pensacola, Florida (Pensacola Regional Airport). It was an instructional 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 student pilot's attempt to turn off the runway at an excessive taxi speed resulting in a loss of directional control and collision with a taxiway sign.
Source: NTSB aviation accident database, copy made October 5, 2026. Docket and reports at the NTSB.
What the record shows
- Date
- December 8, 2002 · about 10:50 pm local time
- Place
- Pensacola, Florida · Pensacola Regional Airport · map
- Type
- Accident
- Injuries
- No one was hurt; 1 person was on board or involved.
- Weather
- visual conditions (good weather)
- Aircraft
- Piper PA38 · all PA38s on the register
- Registration
- N2585B · no longer on the register · serial 38-79A
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Instructional flight · general aviation rules (Part 91)
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
The student pilot stated that he had completed landing flare, and during the landing rollout the airplane was moving a little fast. He said the FAA tower controller instructed him to "turn right at Taxiway D", and as he applied the brakes and attempted to comply, the airplane departed the taxiway and collided with a taxiway sign. The student further stated that prior to the accident there had not been any mechanical failure or malfunction to the airplane or any of its systems.
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: student
- Flight time: 25 hours in all; 18 in this make and model
- Medical certificate: Class 3
The aircraft
- Airframe total time: 3,769 hours
- Last inspection: annual inspection, July 10, 2002; 74 hours since
- Maximum gross weight: 1,670 lb
- Landing gear: fixed
- Engine: Textron Lycoming O-235-L2C (piston); 0 hours total
- Operator: Pensacola Aviation Limited LLC
The flight
- Departed from: MVC Monroeville AL
- Destination: PNS Pensacola FL
- Flight plan: VFR
- Runway 35
Weather at the time
- Light: daylight
- Temperature: 0°F (-18°C), dew point 0°F (-18°C)
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.