Piper PA-28-161 accident near Melbourne, Florida, September 26, 1995
On September 26, 1995 at about 5:48 pm local time, a Piper PA-28-161, registered N607FT, was substantially damaged in an accident near Melbourne, Florida (Melbourne Regional 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 FAILURE OF THE PILOT TO MAINTAIN DIRECTIONAL CONTROL DURING LANDING. CONTRIBUTING TO THE ACCIDENT WAS THE CROSSWIND.
Source: NTSB aviation accident database, copy made October 5, 2026. Docket and reports at the NTSB.
What the record shows
- Date
- September 26, 1995 · about 5:48 pm local time
- Place
- Melbourne, Florida · Melbourne Regional · map
- Type
- Accident
- 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
- N607FT · registry record · serial 2841215
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Instructional flight · general aviation rules (Part 91)
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
THE STUDENT PILOT WAS ON HIS FIRST SUPERVISED SOLO FLIGHT. DURING THE SECOND LANDING ON RUNWAY 9 THE AIRCRAFT PORPOISED AS HE FLARED. THE AIRCRAFT ALSO DRIFTED TO THE LEFT DUE TO A CROSSWIND. THE STUDENT APPLIED FULL POWER AND INITIATED A GO-AROUND. THE AIRCRAFT TOUCHED DOWN ON THE RUNWAY AND THEN RAN OFF THE RUNWAY. HE CLOSED THE THROTTLE AND ATTEMPTED TO REGAIN DIRECTIONAL CONTROL. THE AIRCRAFT COLLIDED WITH RUNWAY SIGNS, SEPARATED THE LEFT MAIN GEAR, AND CAME TO REST IN A DITCH. THE WINDS WERE REPORTED TO BE FROM 130 DEGREES AT 13 KNOTS AT THE TIME OF THE ACCIDENT.
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: 10 hours in all; 10 in this make and model; 10 in the last 90 days; 10 in the last 30 days; 1 as pilot in command
- Medical certificate: Class 1 (valid medical--no waivers/lim.)
- Seat: left
The aircraft
- Airframe total time: 3,214 hours
- Last inspection: annual inspection, September 23, 1995; 17 hours since
- Maximum gross weight: 2,325 lb
- Seats: 4
- Landing gear: fixed
- Engine: Lycoming O-320-D3G (piston); 0 hours total
The flight
- Departed from: MLB at 4:45 pm
- Flight plan: none
- Runway 9L, 6,000 ft by 100 ft
Weather at the time
- Light: daylight
- Wind: from 130° at 13 knots
- Visibility: 10 statute miles
- Sky: scat at 4,000 ft
- Temperature: 88°F (31°C), dew point 73°F (23°C)
- Altimeter: 29.00 inHg
- Observation at 5:50 pm from MLB, 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.
Other NTSB records under N607FT 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.