Aircraft Accident/Incident Report

Atlantic Ocean
Friday, August 9, 1996 10:05 EDT

NTSB Narrative Summary Released at Completion of Accident

During cruise flight at 10,000 feet without weather avoidance radar on board the airplane, the flight encountered adverse weather associated with a level 3 weather echo. Altitude excursions of 5,000 fpm and 4,000 fpm decreases and increases were noted respectively. Groundspeed excursions were also noted. Radar and radio contact were lost, when the flight was at 8,400 feet. Recovered wreckage revealed no evidence of heat damage. According to a friend of the pilot, he had little actual instrument experience and would have avoided adverse weather. The pilot did not obtain a weather briefing with an FAA facility nor with DUAT.

NTSB Probable Cause Narrative

an inflight collision with the terrain (water) for undetermined reason(s). Factors relating to the accident were: failure of the pilot to obtain a preflight weather briefing, his failure to obtain in-flight weather avoidance assistance, and his resultant inadvertent encounter with a level three thunderstorm.

Event Information

Type of Event Accident
Event Date 8/9/1996
Event Day of the Week Friday
Time of Event 1005
Event Time Zone Eastern Daylight Time
Event City ATLANTIC OCEAN
Event State ATLANTIC OCEAN
Event Country --
Zipcode of the event site 00000
Event Date Year 1996
Event Date Month 8
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 1000 Eastern Daylight Time
Direction of event from weather observation facility (degrees) 330
Weather Observation Facility ID MYG
Elevation of weather observation facility 7
Distance of event from weather observation facility (units?) 46
Time Zone of the weather observation EDT
Lighting Conditions Day
Lowest Ceiling Height 1500
Lowest Non-Ceiling Height 0
Sky/Lowest/Cloud Conditions Unknown
Sky Condition for Lowest Ceiling Broken
Visibility Runway Visual Range (Feet) 0
Visibility Runway Visual Value (Statute Miles) 0
Visibility (Statute Miles) 5
Air Temperature at event time (in degrees celsius) 24
Dew Point at event time (in degress fahrenheit) 22
Wind Direction (degrees magnetic) 170
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) 30
Density Altitude (feet) --
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 1
Injury Total Minor --
Injury Total None --
Injury Total Serious --
Injury Total All 1
Investigating Agency NTSB
NTSB Docket Number (internal use) 1465
NTSB Notification Source --
NTSB Notification Date Aug 9 1996 12:00AM
NTSB Notification Time 1035
Fiche Number and/or location -used to find docket information IMAGE
Date of most recent change to record Dec 8 2000 10:18AM
User who most recently changed record dbo
Basic weather conditions Instrument Meteorological Cond
FAA District Office --

Aircraft Involved

Aircraft #1

Aircraft Registration Number N976WL
NTSB Number MIA96LA208
Missing Aircraft Indicator N
Federal Aviation Reg. Part Part 91: General Aviation
Type of Flight Plan filed IFR
Flight plan Was Activated? --
Damage Destroyed
Aircraft Fire None
Aircraft Explosion None
Aircraft Manufacturer's Full Name Beech
Aircraft Model A36
Aircraft Series Identifier A36
Aircraft Serial Number E-924
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 6
Number of Engines 1
Fixed gear or retractable gear Retractable
Aircraft, Type of Last Inspection Annual
Date of Last Inspection Mar 2 1996 12:00AM
Airframe hours since last inspection --
Airframe Hours --
ELT Installed Unknown
ELT Activated Unknown
ELT Aided Location of Event Site Unknown
ELT Type --
Aircraft Owner Name FLY, INC.
Aircraft Owner Street Address 777 S. FLAGLER DR., SUITE 1113
Aircraft Owner City W. PALM BEACH
Aircraft Owner State FL
Aircraft Owner Country
Aircraft Owner Zipcode 33401
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) Unknown
Second Pilot on Board No
Departure Point Same as Event No
Departure Airport Code MYBG
Departure City GREAT HARBOR CY
Departure State OF
Departure Country
Departure Time 948
Departure Time Zone EDT
Destination Same as Local Flt --
Destination Airport Code KPBI
Destination City WEST PALM BEACH
Destination State FL
Destination Country
Specific Phase of Flight Descent - uncontrolled
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 --