Incident Overview
On January 10, 2026, at approximately 1925 eastern standard time, a Piper PA-28-180, registration N6516J, was substantially damaged in an accident near Port St. Lucie, Florida. The pilot and passenger sustained serious injuries. The flight was operated under Title 14 Code of Federal Regulations Part 91 as a personal flight.
Pilot Narrative
According to the pilot, prior to departure from Okeechobee County Airport (OBE) in Okeechobee, Florida, he filled the fuel tanks with about 40 gallons of 100LL aviation fuel. While preparing to start the engine, he turned on the master switch and noticed that the cockpit and cabin lights were dim. He was unable to start the engine and requested a jump start, which successfully started the engine. He then taxied to the runway and took off. During the initial climb, the engine did not produce adequate power to maintain a good climb rate. The airplane climbed past 2,000 feet mean sea level, and the pilot began troubleshooting the problem. Shortly thereafter, the engine experienced a total loss of power. The pilot attempted to restart the engine several times using loss-of-power checklists but was unsuccessful.
He conducted a descending 180° right turn toward Okeechobee County Airport but was approximately 10 nautical miles away and unable to reach the airport. He attempted a forced landing in a field. During the approach, the airplane struck trees; both wings separated, and the fuselage impacted terrain in a nose-down, inverted attitude about 100 feet from the initial tree impact.
Aircraft Background
After the accident, the pilot reported that he had recently purchased the airplane, which had been ferried from California to Florida. The magnetos had been recently overhauled, and a new wiring harness was installed prior to purchase. The most recent annual inspection was performed on December 9, 2025, about five years after the previous annual inspection. The ferry pilot who transported the airplane informed the pilot that the alternator had been experiencing intermittent drops during the four-day ferry flight, with each leg lasting about eight hours per day. No other issues were noted by the ferry pilot.
The airplane was recovered and retained for further examination.