N5447F

On September 30, 2001, about 1302 eastern daylight time, a Piper PA28-151, N5447F, registered to and operated by a private owner, as a Title 14 CFR Part 91 personal flight, lost control during the landing rollout at Melbourne, Florida. Visual meteorological conditions prevailed, and no flight plan was filed. The private-rated pilot and two passengers received no injuries, and the aircraft incurred substantial damage. The flight originated at Vero Beach, Florida, the same day, about 1215.

The pilot stated that he was landing on runway 09L at Melbourne, Florida, and during the landing rollout a gust of wind from 360 degrees blew him off the runway from left to right. The pilot further stated that he was unable to immediately correct, so he attempted to go-around by applying power, but the aircraft exited onto the grass, hit a ditch, rolled into the Palmetto shrubs, and collided with a 4-inch diameter pine. The pilot said that as a result, some of the damage to the aircraft included damage to both sides of the fuselage forward of the tail, as well as damage to the propeller, the left stabilizer, the left wing tip, and the landing gear. According to the pilot, prior to the accident, there had been no mechanical failure or malfunction to the aircraft or any of its systems.