Piper PA-30 accident near Sarasota, Florida, February 1, 1997
On February 1, 1997 at about 6:00 pm local time, a Piper PA-30, registered N64TD, was substantially damaged in an accident near Sarasota, Florida (Hidden River 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 visual conditions (good weather).
The NTSB's probable cause their words, unchanged
the pilot's failure to maintain clearance from obstacles.
Source: NTSB aviation accident database, copy made October 5, 2026. Docket and reports at the NTSB.
What the record shows
- Date
- February 1, 1997 · about 6:00 pm local time
- Place
- Sarasota, Florida · Hidden River
- Type
- Accident
- Injuries
- No one was hurt; 1 person was on board or involved.
- Weather
- visual conditions (good weather)
- Aircraft
- Piper PA-30 · all PA-30s on the register
- Registration
- N64TD · registry record · serial 30-170
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Personal flight · general aviation rules (Part 91)
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
The pilot had just landed at the private airport with the owner of the airplane. After landing the owner told the pilot to taxi back on the runway to his place that was off the other end of the runway. The pilot stated that he exited the runway on a grass taxiway that led into an 'aviation community.' The owner advised the pilot of various obstacles such as mailboxes and trees. When they got to the airplane owner's house/hangar, the owner got out, and pilot taxied back to the runway. The pilot made a wrong turn and was attempting to maneuver around a mailbox on one side of the airplane when the wing on the other side struck a tree and separated from the spar.
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: commercial pilot
- Ratings: multi-engine land; single-engine land; instrument: airplane
- Flight time: 3,000 hours in all; 40 in this make and model; 2,700 as pilot in command
- Medical certificate: Class 1 (valid medical--no waivers/lim.)
- Seat: left
The aircraft
- Last inspection: inspection type not recorded
- Maximum gross weight: 3,600 lb
- Seats: 4
- Landing gear: retractable
- Engine: Lycoming IO-320-B1A (piston); 0 hours total
The flight
- Departed from: LAL Lakeland FL at 5:30 pm
- Flight plan: none
- Runway 9, 2,600 ft
Weather at the time
- Light: daylight
- Wind: from 090° at 6 knots
- Visibility: 20 statute miles
- Sky: clear
- Temperature: 70°F (21°C), dew point 55°F (13°C)
- Altimeter: 30.00 inHg
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.