Morningstar South Airport
Aircraft Accident/Incident Report

Pine Island, Florida 33945
Monday, June 13, 1994 14:02 EDT

NTSB Narrative Summary Released at Completion of Accident

THE FLIGHT WAS DEPARTING TO THE WEST ON A 2,100 FOOT GRASS RUNWAY. THE WINDS, AS REPORTED BY THE NEAREST WEATHER OBSERVATION STATION, WERE FROM THE EAST AT 6 KNOTS AND THE TEMPERATURE WAS 95 F. THE AIRCRAFT WAS NEAR GROSS WEIGHT. THE PILOT STATED THE AIRCRAFT DEPARTED NORMALLY, CLIMBED TO 100 FEET, AND THEN LOST LIFT AND CRASHED INTO THE TREES AT THE DEPARTURE END OF THE RUNWAY. PERFORMANCE CHARTS CONTAINED IN THE AIRCRAFT'S FLIGHT MANUAL INDICATED THE FLIGHT WOULD NEED 2,300 FEET TAKEOFF DISTANCE TO CLEAR A 50-FOOT OBSTACLE. THESE CHARTS DID NOT ACCOUNT FOR THE TAILWIND AND THE USE OF A GRASS RUNWAY WHICH WOULD INCREASE TAKEOFF DISTANCE.

NTSB Probable Cause Narrative

THE PILOT-IN-COMMAND'S FAILURE TO OBTAIN TAKEOFF PERFORMANCE DATA PERTINENT TO THE PRESENT CONDITIONS, HIS ATTEMPTED EXCESSIVE CLIMB RATE FOR CONDITIONS, AND HIS FAILURE TO MAINTAIN AIRSPEED WHILE IN A CLIMB AFTER TAKEOFF. THIS RESULTED IN THE INADVERTENT STALL/MUSH OF THE AIRCRAFT, UNCONTROLLED DESCENT, AND IN-FLIGHT COLLISION WITH TREES.

Event Information

Type of Event Accident
Event Date 6/13/1994
Event Day of the Week Monday
Time of Event 1402
Event Time Zone Eastern Daylight Time
Event City PINE ISLAND
Event State FLORIDA
Event Country --
Zipcode of the event site 33945
Event Date Year 1994
Event Date Month 6
MidAir Collision Indicator No
On Ground Collision occurred ? No
Event Location Latitude
Event Location Longitude
Event Location Airport MORNINGSTAR SOUTH
Event Location Nearest Airport ID 1X3
Indicates whether the acc/inc occurred off or on an airport On Airport
Distance from airport in statute miles 1
Degrees magnetic from airport 270
Airport Elevation 10
Weather Briefing Completeness Unknown
Investigator's weather source Weather Observation Facility
Time of the weather observation 1348 Eastern Daylight Time
Direction of event from weather observation facility (degrees) 90
Weather Observation Facility ID FMY
Elevation of weather observation facility 18
Distance of event from weather observation facility (units?) 13
Time Zone of the weather observation EDT
Lighting Conditions Day
Lowest Ceiling Height 0
Lowest Non-Ceiling Height 4500
Sky/Lowest/Cloud Conditions Scattered
Sky Condition for Lowest Ceiling None
Visibility Runway Visual Range (Feet) 0
Visibility Runway Visual Value (Statute Miles) 0
Visibility (Statute Miles) 10
Air Temperature at event time (in degrees celsius) 35
Dew Point at event time (in degress fahrenheit) 22
Wind Direction (degrees magnetic) 90
Variable Wind Indicator Unknown
Wind Speed (knots) 6
Wind Velocity Indicator Unknown
Wind Gust Indicator Not Gusting
Wind Gust (knots) 0
Altimeter Setting at event time (in. Hg) 30
Density Altitude (feet) 2300
Intensity of Precipitation Unknown
METAR weather report --
Event Highest Injury Minor
On Ground, Fatal Injuries 0
On Ground, Minor Injuries 0
On Ground, Serious Injuries 0
Injury Total Fatal --
Injury Total Minor 1
Injury Total None 1
Injury Total Serious --
Injury Total All 1
Investigating Agency NTSB
NTSB Docket Number (internal use) 349
NTSB Notification Source --
NTSB Notification Date Jun 13 1994 12:00AM
NTSB Notification Time 1510
Fiche Number and/or location -used to find docket information IMAGE
Date of most recent change to record Dec 6 2000 11:30AM
User who most recently changed record dbo
Basic weather conditions Visual Meteorological Cond
FAA District Office --

Aircraft Involved

Aircraft #1

Aircraft Registration Number N888HA
NTSB Number MIA94LA160
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 PIPER
Aircraft Model PA-28-140D
Aircraft Series Identifier PA-28-140D
Aircraft Serial Number 28-7125440
Certified Max Gross Weight 2150
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 Fixed
Aircraft, Type of Last Inspection Annual
Date of Last Inspection Apr 19 1994 12:00AM
Airframe hours since last inspection 66
Airframe Hours 5604
ELT Installed Yes
ELT Activated No
ELT Aided Location of Event Site Unknown
ELT Type --
Aircraft Owner Name HUFFMAN AVIATION
Aircraft Owner Street Address 400 EAST AIRPORT AVENUE
Aircraft Owner City VENICE
Aircraft Owner State FL
Aircraft Owner Country
Aircraft Owner Zipcode 34285
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 1400
Departure Time Zone EDT
Destination Same as Local Flt --
Destination Airport Code VNC
Destination City VENICE
Destination State FL
Destination Country
Specific Phase of Flight Takeoff
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 27
Runway Length 2100
Runway Width --
Sight Seeing flight No
Air Medical Flight No
Medical Flight --