March 31, Marco Island, Fla. / Piper Aerostar

At about 10:15 eastern time, an Aerostar PA-60-601P crashed while attempting a landing at the Marco Island Executive Airport. The pilot was killed. The flight departed Venice about 30 minutes before the accident. Witnesses said the airplanes approach to runway 17 appeared unstable. The winds were from the southwest at 15 knots, gusting to about 20 knots, and the pilot appeared to have a hard time lining up with the runway centerline. The pilot climbed to about 50 feet agl, with little or no power advance, as it proceeded down the runway. At the midpoint of the runway, the aircraft entered a steep left bank and the nose dropped until the left wingtip contacted the ground. The aircraft skidded sideways and crashed into mangroves, where it burned.