Event MIA04CA106

Factual narrative

On July 17, 2004, about 1230 eastern standard time, a Piper PA-28, N315PA, registered to Merrill Lynch Business Financial Services Inc. and operated by Pam Am International Flight Academy, impacted with a fence during landing at Okeechobee County Airport, Okeechobee, Florida. Visual meteorological conditions prevailed at the time and no flight plan was filed for the Title 14 CFR Part 91 instructional flight. The airplane was substantially damaged. The student pilot reported no injuries. The flight had originated from the St. Lucie County International Airport, Fort Pierce, Florida, earlier that day about 1130. The student pilot stated after performing several landings with his instructor he was permitted to perform his first solo landing. The final approach to landing was good until the nose wheel touched the runway. The airplane suddenly swerved to the left. He attempted to correct by applying right rudder; however, it was ineffective. He retracted the flaps in an effort to transfer weight to the wheels. By this time the airplane had departed from the left side of the runway onto the grass. The airplane's left wing impacted with a fence which caused the airplane to spin and the right wing struck the fence before coming to a full stop. The pilot did not report mechanical failures or malfunctions to the airplane or any of its systems prior to the accident. The student pilot's certified flight instructor (CFI) stated he did not witness the airplane land; in addition, he did examine the markings on the runway and grass. To the CFI the student pilot landed between the first 600 to 700 feet of the runway. The markings were consistent with the indication of the left main wheel off the ground while the right main and the nose wheel stayed on the ground traveling in a left direction. The tracks in the grass infer to the airplane's left wing hit the fence first which caused the airplane to veer left, which led to the nose of the airplane and right wing to hit the fence. The CFI asked the student pilot if he applied any brakes, he said "no". The student pilot was permitted to perform his first solo landing by his certified flight instructor (CFI). The landing was under control until the nose wheel touched the runway and the airplane suddenly swerved to the left. He attempted to correct by applying right rudder; however, it was ineffective. He retracted the flaps in an effort to transfer weight to the wheels. By this time the airplane had departed from the left side of the runway onto the grass and shortly after impacted with a fence. The student pilot's CFI stated he did not witness the airplane land, but did examine the markings on the runway and grass. To the CFI the student pilot landed between the first 600 to 700 feet of the runway. The markings were consistent with the indication of the left main wheel off the ground while the right main and the nose wheel stayed on the ground traveling in a left direction. The tracks in the grass infer to the airplane's left wing hit the fence first which caused the airplane to veer left, which led to the nose of the airplane and right wing to hit the fence. The CFI asked the student pilot if he applied any brakes, he said "no". The student pilot did not report mechanical failures or malfunctions to the airplane or any of its systems prior to the accident. Source: NTSB Aviation Accident Database (Pre-2008 Archive) Retrieved: 2026-02-12