History of Flight
On March 5, 2019, at 0703 eastern standard time, a Piper PA-28-161, N556PU, was substantially damaged when it impacted terrain near Fellsmere, Florida. The student pilot, who was operating the airplane on a solo instructional flight under 14 CFR Part 91, was fatally injured. The flight was the pilot's second solo cross-country flight as part of training at the FlightSafety Academy in Vero Beach, Florida. The Vero Beach Regional Airport control tower was not open at the time of departure, and no radio transmissions were recorded.
Radar data showed the airplane departed runway 30L at 0657:23 at a groundspeed of 106 knots and an altitude of 525 ft msl. Over the next several minutes, the airplane performed a series of turns and altitude changes. At 0703:05, it entered a steep right turn at 93 knots and 725 ft msl. Radar data ended at 0703:39 with the airplane at 117 knots, heading 153°, and 550 ft msl. The airplane impacted terrain about 1/4-mile south of the last radar return in heavily wooded farmland 7.3 miles northwest of VRB.
Personnel Information
The pilot's planned route was VRB to Palm Beach County Glades Airport (PHK), then to Okeechobee County Airport (OBE), and back to VRB. She had completed this route multiple times with an instructor and once solo. According to text messages, her initial instructor recommended her removal from the program, but a subsequent instructor endorsed her for solo cross-country. Her current instructor had flown with her only twice and described her as a remedial student who needed to complete solo cross-country flights to remain in the program. She started training in March 2018 and had 34 unsatisfactory and 36 satisfactory lessons.
Meteorological Information
Weather at VRB deteriorated from VFR to IFR between the pilot's arrival and departure. Sunrise was at 0642. At 0553, VRB reported wind 230° at 4 knots, 10 miles visibility, light rain, scattered clouds at 2,700 ft, broken at 10,000 ft. At 0653, wind 270° at 7 knots, 8 miles visibility, light rain, ceiling 500 ft broken, overcast at 1,900 ft. At 0703, wind 250° at 8 knots, 6 miles visibility, light rain and mist, ceiling 400 ft overcast. Similar conditions were reported at Treasure Coast International Airport. A terminal aerodrome forecast (TAF) issued at 0044 expected VFR conditions, amended at 0632 with no change; a later amendment at 0741 added a temporary IFR period. AIRMET Sierra was current for IFR conditions in the area. Four other FSA pilots flew that morning; some reported entering clouds on takeoff but were able to divert. The student pilot did not file a flight plan or obtain a weather briefing from Leidos Flight Service; no record existed of her using school computers for weather.
Wreckage and Impact Information
The initial impact point was a 30-ft-tall tree; the wreckage path extended 460 ft through trees, ending with the airplane on its right side on a heading of 115°. All major components were present; no post-impact fire occurred. The left and right wings separated at the roots, both fuel tanks breached. The flap handle was in the 10° position; the stabilator trim jackscrew indicated slight nose-down. Flight control continuity was established, with broomstraw fractures at breaks. The throttle was idle, mixture full lean, carburetor heat off, navigation lights and pitot heat off. The pilot's seat separated; restraint system remained attached but webbing was torn. The ELT was armed and beeping but its antenna had separated from the airframe due to overstress, preventing signal transmission and delaying discovery. No mechanical discrepancies were found that would have precluded normal operation.
Additional Information
The pilot had not received a solo cross-country endorsement for the accident flight in her logbook or FSA's logbook. Her instructor had endorsed her for a flight the previous day that was cancelled due to weather, and the flight was rescheduled for the morning. The instructor expected to meet the student again if weather improved but did not hear from her. The operations duty officer (DO) reviewed the pilot's lesson sheet (signed by the instructor but undated) and logbooks, and released her after checking weather. FSA policy required VFR weather of at least 2,000 ft ceiling and 5 miles visibility along the route for solo cross-country flights. The DO noted that VRB was VFR but destinations were IFR, and he advised the pilot to recheck weather before departure.
Medical and Pathological Information
The autopsy determined the cause of death as multiple blunt trauma injuries. Toxicology testing was negative for all substances.