Aircraft Accident/Incident Report

Arcadia, Florida 33821
Wednesday, November 23, 1994 13:52 EST

NTSB Narrative Summary Released at Completion of Accident

THE FLIGHT WAS OBSERVED TO FLY TOWARD THE NORTH AT ABOUT 150 FEET AND MAKE A LEFT SHALLOW WING OVER MANEUVER TO REVERSE COURSE. THE AIRCRAFT WAS LOST FROM SIGHT BEHIND TREES AND WAS NOT SEEN AGAIN. THE WRECKAGE OF THE AIRCRAFT WAS DISCOVERED NOSE DOWN IN THE MIDDLE OF A FIELD. THE AIRCRAFT HAD CRASHED AT A LOW SPEED IN A NEAR VERTICAL DESCENT. NO EVIDENCE TO INDICATE PRECRASH FAILURE OR MALFUNCTION OF THE AIRCRAFT STRUCTURE, FLIGHT CONTROLS, OR ENGINE WAS FOUND. THE DUAL STUDENT WHO WAS SEATED IN THE FRONT SEAT HAD INJURIES CONSISTENT WITH OPERATING THE FLIGHT CONTROLS AT THE TIME OF THE ACCIDENT. THE FLIGHT INSTRUCTOR DID NOT HAVE INJURIES CONSISTENT WITH OPERATION OF THE FLIGHT CONTROLS AT THE TIME OF THE ACCIDENT.

NTSB Probable Cause Narrative

THE FAILURE OF THE DUAL-STUDENT TO MAINTAIN AIRSPEED WHILE MANEUVERING RESULTING IN AN INADVERTENT STALL AND UNCONTROLLED DESCENT. CONTRIBUTING TO THE ACCIDENT WAS IMPROPER SUPERVISION OF THE DUAL-STUDENT BY THE FLIGHT INSTRUCTOR.

Event Information

Type of Event Accident
Event Date 11/23/1994
Event Day of the Week Wednesday
Time of Event 1352
Event Time Zone Eastern Standard Time
Event City ARCADIA
Event State FLORIDA
Event Country --
Zipcode of the event site 33821
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 1350 Eastern Standard Time
Direction of event from weather observation facility (degrees) 290
Weather Observation Facility ID SRQ
Elevation of weather observation facility 28
Distance of event from weather observation facility (units?) 40
Time Zone of the weather observation EST
Lighting Conditions Day
Lowest Ceiling Height 0
Lowest Non-Ceiling Height 5000
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) 26
Dew Point at event time (in degress fahrenheit) 17
Wind Direction (degrees magnetic) 320
Variable Wind Indicator Unknown
Wind Speed (knots) 8
Wind Velocity Indicator Unknown
Wind Gust Indicator Not Gusting
Wind Gust (knots) 0
Altimeter Setting at event time (in. Hg) 30
Density Altitude (feet) 1200
Intensity of Precipitation Unknown
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 2
Injury Total Minor --
Injury Total None --
Injury Total Serious --
Injury Total All 2
Investigating Agency NTSB
NTSB Docket Number (internal use) 1876
NTSB Notification Source --
NTSB Notification Date Nov 23 1994 12:00AM
NTSB Notification Time 1445
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 Visual Meteorological Cond
FAA District Office --

Aircraft Involved

Aircraft #1

Aircraft Registration Number N7579F
NTSB Number MIA95FA027
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 CHAMPION
Aircraft Model 7ECA
Aircraft Series Identifier 7ECA
Aircraft Serial Number 748-70
Certified Max Gross Weight 1700
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 2
Number of Engines 1
Fixed gear or retractable gear Fixed
Aircraft, Type of Last Inspection 100 Hour
Date of Last Inspection Nov 15 1994 12:00AM
Airframe hours since last inspection 13
Airframe Hours 2484
ELT Installed Yes
ELT Activated Yes
ELT Aided Location of Event Site No
ELT Type --
Aircraft Owner Name GILHAM II, KENNETH A.
Aircraft Owner Street Address 28000 AIRPORT ROAD
Aircraft Owner City PUNTA GORDA
Aircraft Owner State FL
Aircraft Owner Country
Aircraft Owner Zipcode 33982
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) Instructional
Second Pilot on Board Yes
Departure Point Same as Event No
Departure Airport Code PGD
Departure City PUNTA GORDA
Departure State FL
Departure Country
Departure Time 1325
Departure Time Zone EST
Destination Same as Local Flt dest & departure same, accident can occur anywhere
Destination Airport Code
Destination City
Destination State
Destination Country
Specific Phase of Flight Maneuvering
Report sent to ICAO? --
Evacuation occurred --
Date of most recent change to record Jan 2 2001 10:30AM
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 --