Pilot Stated That He Recently Purchased The Airplane Which Had Been Ferried From California To Florida On January 10, 2026, about 1925 eastern standard time, a Piper PA-28-180, N6516J was substantially damaged when it was involved in an accident near Port St. Lucie, Florida. The pilot and passenger sustained serious injuries. The airplane was operated as a Title 14 Code of Federal Regulations Part 91 personal flight. According to the pilot, prior to takeoff from Okeechobee County Airport (OBE), Okeechobee, Florida, he “topped off” the fuel tanks with about 40 gallons of 100LL aviation fuel. As the pilot was preparing to start the airplane’s engine, he turned on the master switch, observed that the cockpit and cabin lights were dim, and could not start the engine.
