Piper PA-46 accident near Vero Beach, Florida, July 22, 1993
On July 22, 1993 at about 10:45 pm local time, a Piper PA-46, registered N888CD, was substantially damaged in an accident near Vero Beach, Florida (Vero Beach Municipal airport). 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 instrument conditions (cloud, fog or low visibility).
The NTSB's probable cause their words, unchanged
IMPROPER PLANNING/DECISION BY THE PILOT, AND HIS DELAY IN ABORTING THE TAKEOFF. FACTORS RELATED TO THE ACCIDENT WERE: THE TAILWIND, WET RUNWAY, AND SOFT TERRAIN BEYOND THE END OF THE RUNWAY.
Source: NTSB aviation accident database, copy made October 5, 2026. Docket and reports at the NTSB.
What the record shows
- Date
- July 22, 1993 · about 10:45 pm local time
- Place
- Vero Beach, Florida · Vero Beach Municipal
- Type
- Accident
- Injuries
- No one was hurt; 1 person was on board or involved.
- Weather
- instrument conditions (cloud, fog or low visibility)
- Aircraft
- Piper PA-46 · all PA-46s on the register
- Registration
- N888CD · registry record · serial 46220067
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Personal flight · general aviation rules (Part 91)
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
THE PILOT REPORTED THAT HE WAS HOLDING TO TAKEOFF ON RUNWAY 22 WHILE WAITING FOR WEATHER TO CLEAR WEST OF THE AIRPORT. HE NOTICED THERE WAS GOOD WEATHER TO THE EAST AND ELECTED TO TAKEOFF WITH A TAILWIND ON RUNWAY 11, THE SHORTEST RUNWAY. DURING THE TAKEOFF ROLL, HE NOTICED THE AIRSPEED WAS NOT BUILDING FAST ENOUGH, SO HE ELECTED TO ABORT THE TAKEOFF. HE WAS UNABLE TO STOP ON THE REMAINING RUNWAY, WHICH WAS WET. THE AIRPLANE SKIDDED INTO WET SAND OFF THE END OF THE RUNWAY, AND THE LANDING GEAR COLLAPSED. NO PRE-ACCIDENT MALFUNCTION OR FAILURE OF THE AIRCRAFT OR ENGINE WAS EVIDENT.
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: 355 hours in all; 25 in this make and model; 25 in the last 90 days; 25 in the last 30 days; 264 as pilot in command
- Medical certificate: Class 3 (valid medical--no waivers/lim.)
- Seat: left
The aircraft
- Airframe total time: 619 hours
- Last inspection: annual inspection, May 4, 1993; 18 hours since
- Maximum gross weight: 4,318 lb
- Seats: 6
- Landing gear: retractable
- Engine: Lycoming TIO-540-AE2A (piston); 0 hours total
- Operator: Sutton Holdings, INC.
The flight
- Departed from: VRB at 10:44 pm
- Destination: CRE Myrtle Beach SC
- Flight plan: IFR
- Runway 11, 3,504 ft by 75 ft
Weather at the time
- Light: daylight
- Wind: from 360° at 10 knots
- Sky: broken clouds at 10,000 ft; scat at 1,200 ft
- Temperature: 81°F (27°C), dew point 77°F (25°C)
- Altimeter: 30.00 inHg
- Observation at 9:51 pm from VRB, 1 miles away
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.