Piper PA-31-310 accident near Jupiter, Florida, August 2, 2003
On August 2, 2003 at about 5:01 pm local time, a Piper PA-31-310, registered N876RD, was substantially damaged in an accident near Jupiter, Florida (Tailwinds Airport). It was a personal flight under general aviation rules (Part 91). 2 people had minor injuries. The weather was visual conditions (good weather).
The NTSB's probable cause their words, unchanged
The pilot's failure to adequately plan for the flight which resulted in fuel exhaustion, a forced landing, and damage to the airplane during the landing.
Source: NTSB aviation accident database, copy made October 5, 2026. Docket and reports at the NTSB.
What the record shows
- Date
- August 2, 2003 · about 5:01 pm local time
- Place
- Jupiter, Florida · Tailwinds Airport · map
- Type
- Accident
- Injuries
- 2 people had minor injuries.
- Weather
- visual conditions (good weather)
- Aircraft
- Piper PA-31-310 · all PA-31-310s on the register
- Registration
- N876RD · no longer on the register · serial 31-7300974
- 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 he and his wife were en route to a medical conference which was to be held aboard a cruise ship that was departing from Fort Lauderdale, Florida, at 1700. He stated that both tanks were full of fuel when he departed the Canton Regional Airport, Canton, Ohio, en route to Fort Lauderdale Executive Airport. According to the pilot, the inboard tanks had been selected for the first hour and a half and the outboard tanks for the following two hours. He said the flight was vectored around thunderstorms, and during the descent, when about 12 miles to the north of Palm Beach International Airport, Palm Beach, Florida, the left engine ceased operating. He said that at this time he noticed that both inboard fuel indicators showed the tanks to be empty, and he switched to the outboard tanks, both of which were shown to be a quarter full. The pilot stated that two minutes later both engines began to surge, and after making an emergency radio communications call, he was advised by the FAA Air Traffic Controller that Tailwinds Airport was located 4 miles to the west. Unable to reach the runway at Tailwinds Airport, the pilot said he made a forced landing in an orange grove. the pilot also said that prior to the accident, there had not been any mechanical failure or malfunctions to the airplane or any of its systems. Examination of the accident site revealed that the airplane had incurred substantial damage, and there was little or no fuel present at the scene. Follow-on examination of the airplane, its fuel system and both engines revealed no 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: multi-engine land; single-engine land; instrument: airplane
- Flight time: 1,106 hours in all; 29 in this make and model; 10 in the last 90 days; 5 in the last 30 days; 1,014 as pilot in command
- Last flight review: August 20, 2002
- Medical certificate: Class 3 (valid medical--w/ waivers/lim.)
- Seat: left
- Injury: minor injuries
The aircraft
- Airframe total time: 1,493 hours
- Last inspection: annual inspection, June 10, 2003
- Maximum gross weight: 6,500 lb
- Seats: 6
- Landing gear: retractable
- Engine 1: Lycoming TIO-540-A (piston); 0 hours total
- Engine 2: Lycoming TIO-540-A (piston); 0 hours total
The flight
- Departed from: CAK Canton OH at 12:30 pm
- Destination: FXE Fort Lauderdale FL
- Flight plan: VFR then IFR
Weather at the time
- Light: daylight
- Wind: from 120° at 10 knots
- Visibility: 10 statute miles
- Sky: broken clouds at 25,000 ft; scat at 2,100 ft
- Temperature: 84°F (29°C), dew point 75°F (24°C)
- Altimeter: 30.04 inHg
- Observation at 5:53 pm from PBI, 19 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.