St Petersburg-Clearwater Airport
Aircraft Accident/Incident Report

St. Petersburg, Florida 34622
Monday, May 9, 1994 20:32 EDT

NTSB Narrative Summary Released at Completion of Accident

AFTER TAKEOFF THE TOWER CONTROLLER ADVISED THE PILOT THAT THE NOSE LANDING GEAR WAS EXTENDED. THE PILOT CYCLED THE LANDING GEAR BUT THE NOSE LANDING GEAR REMAINED PARTIALLY EXTENDED. THE FLIGHT RETURNED FOR LANDING AND WHILE ON FINAL APPROACH, THE PILOT PERFORMED A GO-AROUND. DURING THE SECOND APPROACH THE AIRSPEED GOT SLOW AND THE PILOT 'ATTEMPTED TO APPLY FULL POWER BUT IT WAS TOO LATE' AND THE AIRPLANE COLLIDED WITH TREES SHORT OF THE RUNWAY.

NTSB Probable Cause Narrative

FAILURE OF THE PILOT-IN-COMMAND TO MAINTAIN AIRSPEED AND PROPER GLIDEPATH RESULTING IN THE IN-FLIGHT COLLISION WITH TREES SHORT OF THE AIRPORT PROPERTY.

Event Information

Type of Event Accident
Event Date 5/9/1994
Event Day of the Week Monday
Time of Event 2032
Event Time Zone Eastern Daylight Time
Event City ST. PETERSBURG
Event State FLORIDA
Event Country --
Zipcode of the event site 34622
Event Date Year 1994
Event Date Month 5
MidAir Collision Indicator No
On Ground Collision occurred ? No
Event Location Latitude
Event Location Longitude
Event Location Airport ST PETERSBURG-CLEARWATER
Event Location Nearest Airport ID PIE
Indicates whether the acc/inc occurred off or on an airport Off Airport/Airstrip
Distance from airport in statute miles --
Degrees magnetic from airport --
Airport Elevation 11
Weather Briefing Completeness Unknown
Investigator's weather source Weather Observation Facility
Time of the weather observation 2038 Eastern Daylight Time
Direction of event from weather observation facility (degrees) 90
Weather Observation Facility ID PIE
Elevation of weather observation facility 11
Distance of event from weather observation facility (units?) 1
Time Zone of the weather observation EDT
Lighting Conditions Dusk
Lowest Ceiling Height 0
Lowest Non-Ceiling Height 0
Sky/Lowest/Cloud Conditions Clear
Sky Condition for Lowest Ceiling None
Visibility Runway Visual Range (Feet) 0
Visibility Runway Visual Value (Statute Miles) 0
Visibility (Statute Miles) 7
Air Temperature at event time (in degrees celsius) 25
Dew Point at event time (in degress fahrenheit) 22
Wind Direction (degrees magnetic) 310
Variable Wind Indicator Unknown
Wind Speed (knots) 7
Wind Velocity Indicator Unknown
Wind Gust Indicator Not Gusting
Wind Gust (knots) 0
Altimeter Setting at event time (in. Hg) 30
Density Altitude (feet) --
Intensity of Precipitation Unknown
METAR weather report --
Event Highest Injury None
On Ground, Fatal Injuries 0
On Ground, Minor Injuries 0
On Ground, Serious Injuries 0
Injury Total Fatal --
Injury Total Minor --
Injury Total None 2
Injury Total Serious --
Injury Total All --
Investigating Agency NTSB
NTSB Docket Number (internal use) 588
NTSB Notification Source --
NTSB Notification Date May 9 1994 12:00AM
NTSB Notification Time 2110
Fiche Number and/or location -used to find docket information IMAGE
Date of most recent change to record Dec 6 2000 11:15AM
User who most recently changed record dbo
Basic weather conditions Visual Meteorological Cond
FAA District Office --

Aircraft Involved

Aircraft #1

Aircraft Registration Number N620B
NTSB Number MIA94LA135
Missing Aircraft Indicator N
Federal Aviation Reg. Part Part 91: General Aviation
Type of Flight Plan filed None
Flight plan Was Activated? --
Damage Substantial
Aircraft Fire None
Aircraft Explosion None
Aircraft Manufacturer's Full Name BEECH
Aircraft Model A35
Aircraft Series Identifier A35
Aircraft Serial Number D-1643
Certified Max Gross Weight 2650
Aircraft Category Airplane
Aircraft Registration Class U.S. Registered/U.S. Soil
Aircraft is a homebuilt? No
Flight Crew Seats --
Cabin Crew Seats --
Passenger Seats --
Total number of seats on the aircraft 4
Number of Engines 1
Fixed gear or retractable gear Retractable
Aircraft, Type of Last Inspection Annual
Date of Last Inspection Mar 13 1994 12:00AM
Airframe hours since last inspection 66
Airframe Hours 4889
ELT Installed Yes
ELT Activated No
ELT Aided Location of Event Site Unknown
ELT Type --
Aircraft Owner Name EPPERSON, JAMES M.
Aircraft Owner Street Address 8227 33 AVE. N.
Aircraft Owner City ST. PETERSBURG
Aircraft Owner State FL
Aircraft Owner Country
Aircraft Owner Zipcode 33710
Operator is an individual? --
Operator Name
Operator Same as Owner? Yes
Operator Is Doing Business As --
Operator Address Same as Owner? Yes
Operator Street Address
Operator City
Operator State
Operator Country
Operator Zip code
Operator Code
Owner has at least one certificate None
Other Operator of large aircraft? No
Certified for Part 133 or 137 Operation Unknown
Operator Certificate Number --
Indicates whether an air carrier operation was scheduled or not --
Indicates Domestic or International Flight --
Operator carrying Pax/Cargo/Mail --
Type of Flying (Per_Bus / Primary) Personal
Second Pilot on Board No
Departure Point Same as Event Yes
Departure Airport Code
Departure City
Departure State
Departure Country
Departure Time 2015
Departure Time Zone EDT
Destination Same as Local Flt --
Destination Airport Code AUO
Destination City AUBURN
Destination State AL
Destination Country
Specific Phase of Flight Landing
Report sent to ICAO? --
Evacuation occurred --
Date of most recent change to record Jan 2 2001 10:34AM
User who most recently changed record dbo
Since inspection or accident --
Event Location Runway Number and Location 0
Runway Length --
Runway Width --
Sight Seeing flight No
Air Medical Flight No
Medical Flight --