Piper PA-28-161 incident near Fort Pierce, Florida, September 13, 1989
On September 13, 1989 at about 5:49 pm local time, a Piper PA-28-161, registered N9207Q, suffered minor damage in an incident near Fort Pierce, Florida (St Luci County Intl 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'S FAILURE TO MAINTAIN DIRECTIONAL CONTROL OF THE AIRPLANE. CONTRIBUTING TO THE ACCIDENT WAS THE STUDENT'S LACK OF EXPERIENCE.
Source: NTSB aviation accident database, copy made October 5, 2026. Docket and reports at the NTSB.
What the record shows
- Date
- September 13, 1989 · about 5:49 pm local time
- Place
- Fort Pierce, Florida · St Luci County Intl
- Type
- Incident
- Injuries
- No one was hurt; 1 person was on board or involved.
- Weather
- visual conditions (good weather)
- Aircraft
- Piper PA-28-161 · all PA-28-161s on the register
- Registration
- N9207Q · no longer on the register · serial 2841007
- Damage
- Minor damage
- Flight
- Instructional flight · general aviation rules (Part 91)
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
THE STUDENT PLT WAS ON HIS FIRST SUPERVISED SOLO FLT. DURING THE 2ND LANDING ROLL ON RWY 9, HE LOST CONTROL OF THE ACFT & IT VEERED OFF THE LT SIDE OF THE RWY. THE WIND WAS FROM 060 DEGREES AT 10 KNOTS. THERE WAS NO FAILURE OR MALFUCTION OF THE FLT CONTROLS. HIS INSTRUCTOR STATED THE CROSSWIND WAS WELL WITHIN THE STUDENT'S CAPABILITY.
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: 20 hours in all; 20 in this make and model; 20 in the last 90 days
- Medical certificate: Class 1 (valid medical--no waivers/lim.)
- Seat: unk
The aircraft
- Last inspection: inspection type not recorded; 0 hours since
- Maximum gross weight: 2,332 lb
- Seats: 4
- Landing gear: fixed
- Engine: Lycoming O-320-D36 (piston); 0 hours total
The flight
- Flight plan: none
- Runway 9, 5,000 ft by 150 ft
Weather at the time
- Light: daylight
- Wind: from 060° at 10 knots
- Visibility: 10 statute miles
- Sky: scat at 2,500 ft
- Temperature: 0°F (-18°C), dew point 0°F (-18°C)
- Altimeter: 29.00 inHg
- Observation at 5:50 pm from FPR
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.