Piper PA-44-180 accident near Daytona Beach, Florida, September 7, 1998
On September 7, 1998 at about 3:23 am local time, a Piper PA-44-180, registered N922ER, was destroyed in an accident near Daytona Beach, Florida (Daytona Beach Int'L airport). It was a personal flight under general aviation rules (Part 91). 1 person was killed. The weather was visual conditions (good weather).
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The NTSB's probable cause their words, unchanged
The pilot's use of the aircraft to commit suicide.
Source: NTSB aviation accident database, copy made October 4, 2026. Docket and reports at the NTSB.
What the record shows
- Date
- September 7, 1998 · about 3:23 am local time
- Place
- Daytona Beach, Florida · Daytona Beach Int'L · map
- Type
- Accident
- Injuries
- 1 person was killed.
- Weather
- visual conditions (good weather)
- Aircraft
- Piper PA-44-180 · all PA-44-180s on the register
- Registration
- N922ER · registry record · serial 4496009
- Damage
- Destroyed
- Flight
- Personal flight · general aviation rules (Part 91)
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
The pilot gained unauthorized access to the aircraft and departed the airport followed a short time later by a request to ATC for an ILS approach to runway 7 left. As the flight approached the runway it was observed at a high altitude and when questioned if he could get down and land, the pilot reported 'this will be my final landing.' Witnesses observed the aircraft fly over the end of the runway at about 600 feet and then descend in a nose low attitude until impact with the runway. Engine power was observed to go to full power as the aircraft descended. The pilot was observed to have consumed alcohol beverages prior to the accident and was found to have a alcohol level of .15 g/dl in the liver. The pilot left a note stating 'I do not want to live.' The Medical Examiners Office ruled the manner of death as suicide.
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: flight instructor, commercial pilot
- Ratings: multi-engine land; single-engine land; instructor: airplane multi-engine; instructor: airplane single-engine; instructor: instrument airplane; instrument: airplane
- Flight time: 984 hours in all; 18 in this make and model; 171 in the last 90 days; 54 in the last 30 days; 883 as pilot in command
- Medical certificate: Class 2 (valid medical--no waivers/lim.)
- Seat: rgt
The aircraft
- Airframe total time: 1,724 hours
- Last inspection: 100-hour inspection, August 31, 1998; 4 hours since
- Maximum gross weight: 3,800 lb
- Seats: 4
- Landing gear: retractable
- Engine: Lycoming O-360-A1H6 (piston); 0 hours total
- Fire on the ground
The flight
- Departed from: DAB at 3:04 am
- Flight plan: none
- Runway 7L, 10,500 ft by 150 ft
Weather at the time
- Light: night, bright
- Visibility: 10 statute miles
- Sky: clear
- Temperature: 81°F (27°C), dew point 79°F (26°C)
- Altimeter: 30.00 inHg
- Observation at 2:53 am from DAB, 1 miles away
Injuries
| Fatal | Serious | Minor | None | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Crew | 1 |
About this page
Everything above comes from the NTSB's public accident database: the narrative, probable cause and findings are the NTSB's own words, and the coded tables behind its report (pilot, aircraft, flight, weather, injuries, sequence of events) are written out in plain English. Pilots' ages, home towns and medical details are left out on purpose. The docket at the NTSB holds the report as a PDF and the investigation's photographs and documents. This site never names pilots, passengers or anyone else involved. A preliminary report describes what is known soon after the event and can change; the final report, with the probable cause, usually follows one to two years later and this page is refreshed when it does. Case number MIA98FA239.