Piper PA-30 accident near Milton, Florida, September 17, 2007
On September 17, 2007 at about 4:30 pm local time, a Piper PA-30, registered N8751Y, was substantially damaged in an accident near Milton, Florida. It was a personal 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 failure of the pilot to attain the proper touchdown point during the precautionary landing resulting in the on-ground collision with fence posts.
Source: NTSB aviation accident database, copy made October 5, 2026. Docket and reports at the NTSB.
What the record shows
- Date
- September 17, 2007 · about 4:30 pm local time
- Place
- Milton, Florida · map
- Type
- Accident
- Injuries
- No one was hurt; 1 person was on board or involved.
- Weather
- visual conditions (good weather)
- Aircraft
- Piper PA-30 · all PA-30s on the register
- Registration
- N8751Y · no longer on the register · serial 30-1904
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Personal flight · general aviation rules (Part 91)
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
Before takeoff an individual other than the pilot "sticked" each fuel tank for quantity, but the stick had not been calibrated. The pilot estimated that he had 60-65 gallons of fuel on-board for the intended 1 hour 20 minute flight. After takeoff the flight climbed to 5,500 feet, where he positioned each fuel selector to the auxiliary position. The flight continued and while descending when near the destination airport, both engines lost power due to fuel starvation. The pilot repositioned both fuel selectors to each main position, which restored engine power. He notified air traffic control, who vectored the flight to a military grass landing strip. With both engines developing power, the pilot landed to the east but touched down approximately 3,725 feet past the western edge of the grass field. The airplane collided with a fence and came to rest upright approximately 1,200 feet from the first touchdown point. Examination of the airplane revealed 14.75 gallons of fuel drained from the left fuel tanks, and 3.0 gallons of fuel drained from the right fuel tanks. No fuel leakage was noted.
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
- Flight time: 5,000 hours in all; 2,000 in this make and model; 10 in the last 90 days
- Medical certificate: Class 3
- Seat: left
- Injury: no injuries
The aircraft
- Last inspection: annual inspection, May 1, 2006; 40.7 hours since
- Maximum gross weight: 3,600 lb
- Seats: 6
- Landing gear: retractable
- Engine: Lycoming IO-320-B1A (piston); 0 hours total
The flight
- Departed from: M16 Raymond MS at 3:14 pm
- Destination: KDTS Destin FL
- Flight plan: none
- Runway 09
Weather at the time
- Light: daylight
- Wind: at 6 knots
- Visibility: 10 statute miles
- Sky: clear
- Temperature: 86°F (30°C), dew point 70°F (21°C)
- Altimeter: 30.11 inHg
- Observation at 4:53 pm from KPNS
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.