Piper PA32-301 accident near Brooksville, Florida, April 28, 2005
On April 28, 2005 at about 6:30 pm local time, a Piper PA32-301, registered N146SW, was substantially damaged in an accident near Brooksville, Florida (Hernando County 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 pilot-in-command failure to maintain directional control during takeoff after landing, which resulted in the airplane exiting the runway.
Source: NTSB aviation accident database, copy made October 5, 2026. Docket and reports at the NTSB.
What the record shows
- Date
- April 28, 2005 · about 6:30 pm local time
- Place
- Brooksville, Florida · Hernando County Airport · map
- Type
- Accident
- Injuries
- No one was hurt; 2 people were on board or involved.
- Weather
- visual conditions (good weather)
- Aircraft
- Piper PA32-301 · all PA32-301s on the register
- Registration
- N146SW · registry record · serial 32-8006040
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Personal flight · general aviation rules (Part 91)
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
The pilot-in-command stated that she was practicing instrument approaches to runway 09 with a safety pilot. When the airplane approached an indicated altitude of about 700 feet, she removed the view-limiting device to transition from an instrument to a visual approach for the touch-and-go. Upon landing the pilot-in-command pushed the propeller lever forward and applied full engine power. The airplane veered off the left side of the runway onto grass terrain incurring substantial damage. An A&P mechanic inspected the airplane after the accident and found no discrepancies with the airplane's steering systems, the flight controls operated normally, and the brake system functioned properly.
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; instrument: airplane
- Flight time: 865 hours in all; 57 in this make and model; 14 in the last 90 days; 8 in the last 30 days; 770 as pilot in command
- Last flight review: July 30, 2003
- Medical certificate: Class 3 (valid medical--w/ waivers/lim.)
- Seat: left
- Injury: no injuries
The aircraft
- Airframe total time: 2,131 hours
- Last inspection: annual inspection, May 9, 2004; 42 hours since
- Maximum gross weight: 3,600 lb
- Seats: 7
- Landing gear: retractable
- Engine: Lycoming IO540-K1G5 (piston); 0 hours total
The flight
- Departed from: KBKV Brooksville FL at 4:01 am
- Destination: KBKV Brooksville FL
- Flight plan: none
- Runway 09, 7,001 ft by 150 ft
Weather at the time
- Light: daylight
- Wind: from 060° at 7 knots
- Visibility: 10 statute miles
- Sky: clear
- Temperature: 81°F (27°C), dew point 48°F (9°C)
- Altimeter: 30.12 inHg
- Observation at 6:53 pm from KBVK
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.