St. Petersburg Airport
Aircraft Accident/Incident Report

St. Petersburg, Florida 33708
Wednesday, February 21, 1996 10:15 EST

NTSB Narrative Summary Released at Completion of Accident

The pilot stated that while on final approach during an ILS approach he became distracted by the passenger and the airplane collided with water.

NTSB Probable Cause Narrative

the pilot's failure to maintain the glide slope and becoming distracted by a passenger.

Event Information

Type of Event Accident
Event Date 2/21/1996
Event Day of the Week Wednesday
Time of Event 1015
Event Time Zone Eastern Standard Time
Event City ST. PETERSBURG
Event State FLORIDA
Event Country --
Zipcode of the event site 33708
Event Date Year 1996
Event Date Month 2
MidAir Collision Indicator No
On Ground Collision occurred ? No
Event Location Latitude
Event Location Longitude
Event Location Airport ST. PETERSBURG
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 Full
Investigator's weather source Weather Observation Facility
Time of the weather observation 1030 Eastern Standard Time
Direction of event from weather observation facility (degrees) 0
Weather Observation Facility ID PIE
Elevation of weather observation facility 11
Distance of event from weather observation facility (units?) 0
Time Zone of the weather observation EST
Lighting Conditions Day
Lowest Ceiling Height 1400
Lowest Non-Ceiling Height 400
Sky/Lowest/Cloud Conditions Scattered
Sky Condition for Lowest Ceiling Broken
Visibility Runway Visual Range (Feet) 0
Visibility Runway Visual Value (Statute Miles) 0
Visibility (Statute Miles) 3
Air Temperature at event time (in degrees celsius) 22
Dew Point at event time (in degress fahrenheit) 21
Wind Direction (degrees magnetic) 70
Variable Wind Indicator Unknown
Wind Speed (knots) 5
Wind Velocity Indicator Unknown
Wind Gust Indicator Unknown
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 Minor
On Ground, Fatal Injuries 0
On Ground, Minor Injuries 0
On Ground, Serious Injuries 0
Injury Total Fatal --
Injury Total Minor 2
Injury Total None --
Injury Total Serious --
Injury Total All 2
Investigating Agency NTSB
NTSB Docket Number (internal use) 121
NTSB Notification Source --
NTSB Notification Date Feb 21 1996 12:00AM
NTSB Notification Time 1523
Fiche Number and/or location -used to find docket information IMAGE
Date of most recent change to record Dec 8 2000 9:51AM
User who most recently changed record dbo
Basic weather conditions Instrument Meteorological Cond
FAA District Office --

Aircraft Involved

Aircraft #1

Aircraft Registration Number N8740Y
NTSB Number MIA96LA085
Missing Aircraft Indicator N
Federal Aviation Reg. Part Part 91: General Aviation
Type of Flight Plan filed IFR
Flight plan Was Activated? --
Damage Substantial
Aircraft Fire None
Aircraft Explosion None
Aircraft Manufacturer's Full Name Piper
Aircraft Model PA-30-160
Aircraft Series Identifier PA-30-160
Aircraft Serial Number 30-1894
Certified Max Gross Weight 3600
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 2
Fixed gear or retractable gear Retractable
Aircraft, Type of Last Inspection Annual
Date of Last Inspection --
Airframe hours since last inspection --
Airframe Hours --
ELT Installed Yes
ELT Activated Yes
ELT Aided Location of Event Site No
ELT Type --
Aircraft Owner Name FLOYD D. PAINTER
Aircraft Owner Street Address P.O. BOX 817
Aircraft Owner City FOLEY
Aircraft Owner State AL
Aircraft Owner Country
Aircraft Owner Zipcode 36536
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 5R4
Departure City FOLEY
Departure State AL
Departure Country
Departure Time 700
Departure Time Zone CST
Destination Same as Local Flt --
Destination Airport Code X41
Destination City NEW PORT RICHEY
Destination State FL
Destination Country
Specific Phase of Flight Approach
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 17L
Runway Length 8500
Runway Width 150
Sight Seeing flight No
Air Medical Flight No
Medical Flight --