Aircraft Accident/Incident Report

Daytona Beach, Florida 32114
Sunday, November 20, 1994 17:55 EST

NTSB Narrative Summary Released at Completion of Accident

The pilot was cleared by ATC for an ILS approach in instrument flight conditions. ATC terminated the approach when the airplane was observed on radar below the minimum altitude for that segment of the approach and 'S' turning through the final approach course. The pilot was vectored and cleared for an ASR approach. The airplane was observed on radar turning through the final approach course, and the pilot was provided with heading corrections which were not acknowledged. The airplane continued turning through the approach course, and radar contact was lost. The pilot's last recorded instrument flight was on September 15, 1989, an his last recorded night flight was on February 18, 1989.

NTSB Probable Cause Narrative

The pilot's failure to maintain aircraft control while maneuvering in instrument flight conditions during an instrument approach, resulting in the pilot becoming spatially disoriented, and a subsequent in-flight collision with terrain. Contributing to the accident was the pilot's lack of recent experience in instrument and night flight conditions.

Event Information

Type of Event Accident
Event Date 11/20/1994
Event Day of the Week Sunday
Time of Event 1755
Event Time Zone Eastern Standard Time
Event City DAYTONA BEACH
Event State FLORIDA
Event Country --
Zipcode of the event site 32114
Event Date Year 1994
Event Date Month 11
MidAir Collision Indicator No
On Ground Collision occurred ? No
Event Location Latitude
Event Location Longitude
Event Location Airport
Event Location Nearest Airport ID
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 --
Weather Briefing Completeness Unknown
Investigator's weather source Weather Observation Facility
Time of the weather observation 1750 Eastern Standard Time
Direction of event from weather observation facility (degrees) 70
Weather Observation Facility ID DAB
Elevation of weather observation facility 35
Distance of event from weather observation facility (units?) 3
Time Zone of the weather observation EST
Lighting Conditions Night/Dark
Lowest Ceiling Height 1500
Lowest Non-Ceiling Height 400
Sky/Lowest/Cloud Conditions Scattered
Sky Condition for Lowest Ceiling Overcast
Visibility Runway Visual Range (Feet) 0
Visibility Runway Visual Value (Statute Miles) 0
Visibility (Statute Miles) 1.5
Air Temperature at event time (in degrees celsius) 22
Dew Point at event time (in degress fahrenheit) 22
Wind Direction (degrees magnetic) 340
Variable Wind Indicator Unknown
Wind Speed (knots) 10
Wind Velocity Indicator Unknown
Wind Gust Indicator Not Gusting
Wind Gust (knots) 0
Altimeter Setting at event time (in. Hg) 29
Density Altitude (feet) --
Intensity of Precipitation Light
METAR weather report --
Event Highest Injury Fatal
On Ground, Fatal Injuries 0
On Ground, Minor Injuries 0
On Ground, Serious Injuries 0
Injury Total Fatal 1
Injury Total Minor --
Injury Total None --
Injury Total Serious --
Injury Total All 1
Investigating Agency NTSB
NTSB Docket Number (internal use) 1845
NTSB Notification Source --
NTSB Notification Date Nov 20 1994 12:00AM
NTSB Notification Time 1930
Fiche Number and/or location -used to find docket information IMAGE
Date of most recent change to record Dec 6 2000 12:38PM
User who most recently changed record dbo
Basic weather conditions Instrument Meteorological Cond
FAA District Office --

Aircraft Involved

Aircraft #1

Aircraft Registration Number N9420J
NTSB Number MIA95FA023
Missing Aircraft Indicator N
Federal Aviation Reg. Part Part 91: General Aviation
Type of Flight Plan filed None
Flight plan Was Activated? --
Damage Destroyed
Aircraft Fire None
Aircraft Explosion None
Aircraft Manufacturer's Full Name PIPER
Aircraft Model PA-28-180
Aircraft Series Identifier PA-28-180
Aircraft Serial Number 28-3531
Certified Max Gross Weight 2175
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 Nov 19 1994 12:00AM
Airframe hours since last inspection 2
Airframe Hours 2833
ELT Installed Yes
ELT Activated No
ELT Aided Location of Event Site Unknown
ELT Type --
Aircraft Owner Name HERBIE CORPORATION
Aircraft Owner Street Address 3223 OCEAN DRIVE
Aircraft Owner City VERO BEACH
Aircraft Owner State FL
Aircraft Owner Country
Aircraft Owner Zipcode 32963
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 No
Departure Airport Code FPR
Departure City FORT PIERCE
Departure State FL
Departure Country
Departure Time 1556
Departure Time Zone EST
Destination Same as Local Flt crash at destination city
Destination Airport Code DAB
Destination City
Destination State FL
Destination Country
Specific Phase of Flight Maneuvering
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 --