| Crash location | 27.262778°N, 80.849722°W |
| Nearest city | Okeechobee, FL
27.243935°N, 80.829783°W 1.8 miles away |
| Tail number | N9284H |
|---|---|
| Accident date | 24 Jul 2002 |
| Aircraft type | Piper PA-28-161 |
| Additional details: | None |
On July 24, 2002, about 0900 eastern daylight time, a Piper PA-28-161, N9248H, registered to and operated by Flight Safety International, experienced a loss of directional control and collided with a fence during a touch-and-go landing at Okeechobee County Airport, Okeechobee, Florida. Visual meteorological conditions prevailed at the time and no flight plan was filed for the 14 CFR Part 91 instructional flight. The airplane was substantially damaged and the student pilot, the sole occupant, was not injured. The flight originated about 0740 from the Vero Beach Municipal Airport, Vero Beach, Florida.
The pilot stated that after takeoff the flight proceeded to the Okeechobee County Airport where he performed a short field approach and landing to runway 22, then applied power for a touch-and-go landing. After applying power, he later reported feeling "small bouncing and turned quickly to the left side." He reduced the throttle to idle and applied opposite rudder but the airplane departed the runway and rolled onto grass. While there, he applied the brakes "slowly" and attempted to recover but the left wing then the right wing collided with fence poles. The airplane came to rest upright.
Several pilots in the traffic pattern at the time of the accident reported there was a light headwind from the right.
The failure of the pilot to maintain directional control of the airplane during the takeoff roll following a short field approach and landing, resulting in the on-ground collision with a fence.