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NTSB Identification: ATL02FA051
Accident occurred Saturday, February 23, 2002 at Vero Beach, FL
Aircraft:Piper PA-28-180, registration: N7345W
Injuries: 2 Fatal.
This is a preliminary information, subject to change, and may contain
errors. Any errors in this report will be corrected when the final
report has been completed.
On February 23, 2002, at 1145 eastern standard time, a Piper PA-28-180,
N7345W, registered to a private owner and operated by the commercial
pilot, experienced an in-flight breakup over the Fort Drum Wildlife
Management Reserve, in Vero Beach, Florida. The personal flight
was operated under the provisions of Title 14 CFR Part 91, and instrument
flight rules. Instrument meteorological conditions prevailed and
an IFR flight plan was filed. The commercial pilot and passenger
sustained fatal injuries and the airplane was destroyed during the
in-flight breakup and subsequent post crash fire. The flight originated
from West Palm Beach, Florida at an undetermined time.
Examination of the wreckage on-scene, found the cockpit, engine,
and a small portion of the aft empennage in a confined area with
the cockpit and instruments destroyed by post crash fire. The wings,
vertical stabilizer, both horizontal stabilizers, and pieces of
the empennage were found scattered within about 500 feet of the
cockpit area. The right aileron and flap, were not located.
Reportedly, other pilots in the local area had encountered severe
turbulence at about the time of the accident. One pilot stated that
his airplane lost a thousand feet of altitude and almost flipped
over. Other pilots reportedly were asking Air Traffic Controllers
to "get them out of the area and assign them a lower altitude."
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