Piper PA-28-161 and Socata TAMPICO TB-9C accident near Vero Beach, Florida, April 30, 1991
On April 30, 1991 at about 5:50 pm local time, 2 aircraft, Piper PA-28-161 (N150ER) and Socata TAMPICO TB-9C (N2816D), were involved in the same accident near Vero Beach, Florida (Vero Beach Muni airport). 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
FAILURE OF THE PA-28 PILOT TO MAINTAIN PROPER BRAKE PRESSURE, WHILE DIVERTING HIS ATTENTION TO HIS NOTEPAD.
FAILURE OF THE PA-28 PILOT TO MAINTAIN PROPER BRAKE PRESSURE, WHILE DIVERTING HIS ATTENTION TO HIS NOTEPAD.
Source: NTSB aviation accident database, copy made October 5, 2026. Docket and reports at the NTSB.
What the record shows
- Date
- April 30, 1991 · about 5:50 pm local time
- Place
- Vero Beach, Florida · Vero Beach Muni · map
- Type
- Accident · collision on the ground
- Injuries
- No one was hurt; 3 people were on board or involved.
- Weather
- visual conditions (good weather)
- Aircraft 1
- Piper PA-28-161 · all PA-28-161s on the register
- Registration
- N150ER · no longer on the register · serial 2841146
- Damage
- Minor damage
- Flight
- Instructional flight · general aviation rules (Part 91)
- Aircraft 2
- Socata TAMPICO TB-9C TAMPICO TB · all TAMPICO TB-9Cs on the register
- Registration
- N2816D · no longer on the register · serial 1061
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Flight of an unrecorded kind · general aviation rules (Part 91)
The NTSB's narrative for the Piper PA-28-161 final · quoted from the NTSB record
THE PILOT OF A PIPER PA-28 (N150ER) WAS HOLDING BEHIND A SOCATA TAMPICO TB-9C (N2816D) WAITING FOR A TAKEOFF CLEARANCE. SUBSEQUENTLY, THE PA-28 TRAVELED FORWARD, UNNOTICED BY THE PILOT, AND ITS PROPELLER CONTACTED THE LEFT HORIZONTAL STABILATOR OF THE TB-9C. THE PA-28 PILOT REPORTED THAT HE MUST HAVE RELEASED BRAKE PRESSURE SLIGHTLY AS HE WAS LOOKING AT HIS NOTEPAD.
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 NTSB's narrative for the Socata TAMPICO TB-9C final · quoted from the NTSB record
THE PILOT OF A PIPER PA-28 (N150ER) WAS HOLDING BEHIND A SOCATA TAMPICO TB-9C (N2816D) WAITING FOR A TAKEOFF CLEARANCE. SUBSEQUENTLY, THE PA-28 TRAVELED FORWARD, UNNOTICED BY THE PILOT, AND ITS PROPELLER CONTACTED THE LEFT HORIZONTAL STABILATOR OF THE TB-9C. THE PA-28 PILOT REPORTED THAT HE MUST HAVE RELEASED BRAKE PRESSURE SLIGHTLY AS HE WAS LOOKING AT HIS NOTEPAD.
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 for the Piper PA-28-161 from the NTSB's investigation tables, in plain English
Pilot
- Certificate: private
- Ratings: single-engine land
- Flight time: 145 hours in all; 55 in this make and model; 35 in the last 90 days; 106 as pilot in command
- Medical certificate: Class 2 (valid medical--no waivers/lim.)
- Seat: unk
The aircraft
- Last inspection: inspection type not recorded; 0 hours since
- Maximum gross weight: 2,325 lb
- Seats: 4
- Landing gear: fixed
- Engine: Lycoming O-320-D3G (piston); 0 hours total
The flight
- Destination: DAB Daytona Beach FL
- Flight plan: VFR
- Runway 11R, 7,296 ft by 100 ft
Weather at the time
- Light: daylight
- Wind: from 140° at 15 knots
- Visibility: 15 statute miles
- Sky: broken clouds at 30,000 ft; scat at 3,000 ft
- Temperature: 88°F (31°C), dew point 72°F (22°C)
- Altimeter: 30.00 inHg
- Observation at 5:55 pm from VRB
Injuries
| Fatal | Serious | Minor | None | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Crew | 1 |
The factual record for the Socata TAMPICO TB-9C 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: 1,634 hours in all; 150 in the last 90 days; 37 in the last 30 days; 1,490 as pilot in command; 1,100 on instruments
- Medical certificate: Class 1 (valid medical--no waivers/lim.)
- Seat: left
The aircraft
- Last inspection: inspection type not recorded; 0 hours since
- Maximum gross weight: 2,337 lb
- Seats: 4
- Landing gear: fixed
- Engine: Lycoming O-320-D2A (piston); 0 hours total
- Operator: Flight Safety International
The flight
- Flight plan: none
- Runway 11R, 7,296 ft by 100 ft
- A second pilot was aboard
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.
Other NTSB records under N150ER the same tail number, which may have belonged to a different aircraft at the time
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.