Piper PA-28-180 accident near Fort Pierce, Florida, February 14, 1998
On February 14, 1998 at about 1:33 pm local time, a Piper PA-28-180, registered N15091, was destroyed in an accident near Fort Pierce, Florida. It was a personal flight under general aviation rules (Part 91). 1 person was killed. The weather was instrument conditions (cloud, fog or low visibility).
The NTSB's probable cause their words, unchanged
The pilot's continued visual flight rules into instrument flight rules conditions and his failure to maintain altitude after encountering instrument flight rules conditions resulting in the aircraft colliding with powerlines and crashing. A factor in the accident was the pilot's failure to obtain a full weather briefing prior to departure.
Source: NTSB aviation accident database, copy made October 5, 2026. Docket and reports at the NTSB.
What the record shows
- Date
- February 14, 1998 · about 1:33 pm local time
- Place
- Fort Pierce, Florida · map
- Type
- Accident
- Injuries
- 1 person was killed.
- Weather
- instrument conditions (cloud, fog or low visibility)
- Aircraft
- Piper PA-28-180 · all PA-28-180s on the register
- Registration
- N15091 · no longer on the register · serial 28-7305017
- Damage
- Destroyed
- Flight
- Personal flight · general aviation rules (Part 91)
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
The pilot did not obtain a weather briefing from FAA Flight Service or a DUAT's vendor. The pilot was observed to go into the weather room at the airport where commercial computer weather services was available. Departure was delayed due to low ceilings and visibility. After departure the aircraft was observed flying low in fog, collide with powerlines, and crash. Postcrash examination of the aircraft structure, flight controls, engine, and propeller showed no evidence of precrash failure or malfunction.
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: 688 hours in all; 580 in this make and model; 9 in the last 90 days; 1 in the last 30 days; 625 as pilot in command
- Medical certificate: Class 3 (valid medical--w/ waivers/lim.)
- Seat: left
The aircraft
- Airframe total time: 3,230 hours
- Last inspection: annual inspection, February 12, 1998; 1 hours since
- Maximum gross weight: 2,450 lb
- Seats: 4
- Landing gear: fixed
- Engine: Lycoming O-360-A4A (piston); 0 hours total
The flight
- Departed from: SUA Stuart FL at 1:16 pm
- Destination: OCF Ocala FL
- Flight plan: none
- Runway 0
Weather at the time
- Light: daylight
- Wind: from 360° at 9 knots
- Visibility: 7 statute miles
- Sky: overcast at 900 ft; not recorded
- Temperature: 55°F (13°C), dew point 54°F (12°C)
- Altimeter: 30.00 inHg
- Observation at 1:20 pm from FPR, 17 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.