Piper PA-22/20-150 accident near Merritt Island, Florida, March 3, 1996
On March 3, 1996 at about 8:15 pm local time, a Piper PA-22/20-150, registered N3311B, was substantially damaged in an accident near Merritt Island, Florida (Merritt Island airport). It was a personal flight under general aviation rules (Part 91). No one was hurt; 4 people were on board or involved. The weather was visual conditions (good weather).
The NTSB's probable cause their words, unchanged
The pilot's inadequate compensation for crosswind conditions during the landing roll, which resulted in a loss of directional control and an inadvertent ground swerve. The crosswind was a related factor.
Source: NTSB aviation accident database, copy made October 5, 2026. Docket and reports at the NTSB.
What the record shows
- Date
- March 3, 1996 · about 8:15 pm local time
- Place
- Merritt Island, Florida · Merritt Island · map
- Type
- Accident
- Injuries
- No one was hurt; 4 people were on board or involved.
- Weather
- visual conditions (good weather)
- Aircraft
- Piper PA-22/20-150 PA-22/20-1 · all PA-22/20-150s on the register
- Registration
- N3311B · registry record · serial 22-2126
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Personal flight · general aviation rules (Part 91)
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
The pilot was landing on runway 29 with a wind that was reported to be from 020 degrees at about 16-19 knots. After passing a clearing in trees on the right side of the runway, he lost directional control of the airplane. The airplane went off the runway, into a ditch, and nosed over.
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
- Flight time: 466 hours in all; 232 in this make and model; 10 in the last 90 days; 8 in the last 30 days; 360 as pilot in command
- Medical certificate: Class 3 (valid medical--no waivers/lim.)
- Seat: left
The aircraft
- Airframe total time: 2,764 hours
- Last inspection: annual inspection, April 22, 1995; 55 hours since
- Maximum gross weight: 1,950 lb
- Seats: 4
- Landing gear: fixed
- Engine: Lycoming O-320 (piston); 0 hours total
The flight
- Departed from: COI at 7:50 pm
- Flight plan: none
- Runway 29, 3,601 ft by 75 ft
Weather at the time
- Light: daylight
- Wind: from 020° at 17 knots
- Visibility: 10 statute miles
- Sky: broken clouds at 15,000 ft; not recorded
- Temperature: 66°F (19°C), dew point 43°F (6°C)
- Altimeter: 30.00 inHg
- Observation at 7:55 pm from COF, 7 miles away
Injuries
| Fatal | Serious | Minor | None | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Crew | 1 | |||
| Passengers | 3 |
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 N3311B 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.