Investigator Says Student Took Off From Wrong Runway

A student pilot walked away unhurt Wednesday night when a Piper PA-28-161 Warrior ran off the end of a runway at St. Augustine Airport (SGJ).

Investigators told WJXT-4 the plane (file photo of type, above) attempted to take off from the wrong runway at SGJ around 8:30 pm EST Wednesday, but the runway was too short.

Photos from the scene show the aircraft partially submerged in the Intracoastal Waterway, less than 100 feet off the approach end of runway 24. Runway 6/24 is listed on FAA aeronautical charts as 2701 feet in length.

The aircraft is based at Deland Municipal Airport, according to the news report.

The plane was expected to be pulled from the water Thursday, following examination by the NTSB.

IDENTIFICATION
  Regis#: 140FT        Make/Model: PA28      Description: PA-28 CHEROKEE, ARROW, WARRIOR, ACHER, D
  Date: 02/07/2008     Time: 0055

  Event Type: Incident   Highest Injury: None     Mid Air: N    Missing: N
  Damage: Unknown

LOCATION
  City: SAINT AUGUSTINE   State: FL   Country: US

DESCRIPTION
  AIRCRAFT ON TAKEOFF, RAN OFF THE END OF THE RUNWAY, SAINT AUGUSTINE, FL

INJURY DATA      Total Fatal:   0
                 # Crew:   1     Fat:   0     Ser:   0     Min:   0     Unk:   
                 # Pass:   0     Fat:   0     Ser:   0     Min:   0     Unk:   
                 # Grnd:         Fat:   0     Ser:   0     Min:   0     Unk:   

WEATHER: KSGJ SPECI 0055Z 23006KT 10SM SKC 24/13 A2997

OTHER DATA
  Activity: Training      Phase: Take-off      Operation: OTHER

  FAA FSDO: ORLANDO, FL  (SO15)                   Entry date: 02/07/2008

FMI: www.ntsb.gov, www.staugustineairport.com/