Piper PA-28RT-201 accident near Melbourne, Florida, May 18, 1989
On May 18, 1989 at about 2:55 pm local time, a Piper PA-28RT-201, registered N29241, was substantially damaged in an accident near Melbourne, Florida (Valkaria airport). It was an instructional flight under general aviation rules (Part 91). No one was hurt; 3 people were on board or involved. The weather was visual conditions (good weather).
The NTSB's probable cause their words, unchanged
THE INSTRUCTORS DECISION TO ATTEMPT A TAKEOFF IN A HIGH DENSITY ALTITUDE SITUATION, WITH A QUARTERING TAILWIND.
Source: NTSB aviation accident database, copy made October 5, 2026. Docket and reports at the NTSB.
What the record shows
- Date
- May 18, 1989 · about 2:55 pm local time
- Place
- Melbourne, Florida · Valkaria · map
- Type
- Accident
- Injuries
- No one was hurt; 3 people were on board or involved.
- Weather
- visual conditions (good weather)
- Aircraft
- Piper PA-28RT-201 PA-28RT-20 · all PA-28RT-201s on the register
- Registration
- N29241 · no longer on the register · serial 28R-7918157
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Instructional flight · general aviation rules (Part 91)
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
THE CFI ABORTED THE TAKEOFF IMMEDIATELY AFTER LIFTOFF AND DURING THE ABORT THE ACFT RAN OFF THE RWY END AND COLLIDED WITH TREES. THE CFI STATED THAT HE FELT THAT THE ACFT WAS NOT DEVELOPING FULL POWER. POST ACCIDENT INVEST OF THE ENG REVEALED NO EVIDENCE OF MALFUNCTION. THE CFI WAS USING RWY 32 AND THE WIND WAS FROM 080 DEGREES AT 12 KTS. THE DENSITY ALTITUDE WAS ABOUT 1,400 FT. THIS WAS AN INSTRUCTIONAL FLT WITH 3 PERSONS ON BOARD INCLUDING ONE STUDENT PLT AND AN OBSERVER PASSENGER. THE TAKEOFF WAS PART OF A STUDENT PLTS TOUCH & GO LNDG. THE CFI STATED THAT THE TAKEOFF OCCURRED NO MORE THAN HALF WAY DOWN THE 4,000 FT RWY BUT HE DID NOT START BRAKING THE ACFT DURING THE ABORT UNTIL 500-600 FT FROM THE DEPARTURE END OF THE RWY. THE ACFT PROCEEDED THRU THE CLEAR ZONE OF THE OVERRUN INTO TREES AT THE END OF RWY 32.
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: flight instructor, commercial pilot
- Ratings: multi-engine land; single-engine land; instructor: airplane multi-engine; instructor: airplane single-engine; instrument: airplane
- Flight time: 700 hours in all; 65 in this make and model; 250 in the last 90 days; 120 in the last 30 days; 575 as pilot in command; 300 on instruments
- Medical certificate: Class 1 (valid medical--no waivers/lim.)
- Seat: rgt
The aircraft
- Airframe total time: 4,545 hours
- Last inspection: approved inspection programme, May 9, 1989; 15 hours since
- Maximum gross weight: 2,750 lb
- Seats: 4
- Landing gear: retractable
- Engine: Lycoming IO-360-C1C6 (piston); 0 hours total
- Operator: Flight Safety Int'L, INC.
The flight
- Departed from: VRB Vero Beach FL at 1:43 pm
- Flight plan: none
- Runway 32, 4,000 ft by 75 ft
- A second pilot was aboard
Weather at the time
- Light: daylight
- Wind: from 080° at 12 knots
- Visibility: 7 statute miles
- Sky: scat at 2,500 ft
- Temperature: 82°F (28°C), dew point 70°F (21°C)
- Altimeter: 30.00 inHg
- Observation at 2:50 pm from MLB, 15 miles away
Injuries
| Fatal | Serious | Minor | None | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Crew | 2 | |||
| 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.