Piper PA-34 accident near Ormond Beach, Florida, October 27, 1998
On October 27, 1998 at about 5:41 pm local time, a Piper PA-34, registered N45SA, was substantially damaged in an accident near Ormond Beach, Florida (Ormond Beach Municipal airport). It was an instructional flight under general aviation rules (Part 91). No one was hurt; 3 people were 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 Vmc speed, which resulted in a loss of control, and his improper operation of the throttle given the known full rich operating condition of the left engine. A sand-contaminated fuel control was a contributing factor.
Source: NTSB aviation accident database, copy made October 5, 2026. Docket and reports at the NTSB.
What the record shows
- Date
- October 27, 1998 · about 5:41 pm local time
- Place
- Ormond Beach, Florida · Ormond Beach Municipal
- Type
- Accident
- Injuries
- No one was hurt; 3 people were on board or involved.
- Weather
- visual conditions (good weather)
- Aircraft
- Piper PA-34 · all PA-34s on the register
- Registration
- N45SA · registry record · serial 34-7250234
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Instructional flight · general aviation rules (Part 91)
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
The instructor simulated the failure of the left engine by reducing the manifold pressure to 11 inches Hg., while on the downwind leg. She stated they did not clear the engine during the visual approach and that the engine had been running rich. On short final approach, the instructor took control of the aircraft and applied full power to both engines for a go-around. The left engine did not accelerate and the aircraft rolled rapidly to the left. The instructor reduced engine power and the aircraft rolled to a level attitude and touched down in a side slip on the runway, collapsing the landing gear. Postcrash examination of the left engine showed the spark plugs were fouled with combustion deposits and the fuel control was operating at a rich mixture in the idle range due to sand contamination.
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: 1,797 hours in all; 73 in this make and model; 253 in the last 90 days; 125 in the last 30 days; 1,703 as pilot in command; 1,503 on instruments
- Medical certificate: Class 1 (valid medical--w/ waivers/lim.)
- Seat: rgt
The aircraft
- Airframe total time: 7,184 hours
- Last inspection: 100-hour inspection, October 13, 1998; 43 hours since
- Maximum gross weight: 4,200 lb
- Seats: 6
- Landing gear: retractable
- Engine: Lycoming IO-360-C1E6 (piston); 0 hours total
The flight
- Departed from: DAB Daytona Beach FL at 4:30 pm
- Flight plan: none
- Runway 8, 4,004 ft by 100 ft
- A second pilot was aboard
Weather at the time
- Light: daylight
- Wind: from 060° at 12 knots
- Visibility: 10 statute miles
- Sky: clear
- Temperature: 81°F (27°C), dew point 64°F (18°C)
- Altimeter: 30.00 inHg
- Observation at 5:53 pm from DAB, 10 miles away
Injuries
| Fatal | Serious | Minor | None | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Crew | 2 | |||
| Passengers | 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.