Ocean Reef Club Airport
Aircraft Accident/Incident Report

Key Largo, Florida 33037
Sunday, April 27, 1997 10:10 EDT

NTSB Narrative Summary Released at Completion of Accident

The pilot stated he was landing with a crosswind, and the airplane veered to the right on landing rollout and collided with bushes and trees. Review of the weather at the time of the accident revealed no recorded turbulence, downdrafts, gusts, or windshear.

NTSB Probable Cause Narrative

the pilot's failure to maintain directional control during a crosswind landing, which resulted in an inadvertent ground swerve and collision with bushes and terrain.

Event Information

Type of Event Accident
Event Date 4/27/1997
Event Day of the Week Sunday
Time of Event 1010
Event Time Zone Eastern Daylight Time
Event City KEY LARGO
Event State FLORIDA
Event Country --
Zipcode of the event site 33037
Event Date Year 1997
Event Date Month 4
MidAir Collision Indicator No
On Ground Collision occurred ? No
Event Location Latitude
Event Location Longitude
Event Location Airport OCEAN REEF CLUB
Event Location Nearest Airport ID X09
Indicates whether the acc/inc occurred off or on an airport On Airport
Distance from airport in statute miles --
Degrees magnetic from airport --
Airport Elevation 20
Weather Briefing Completeness Unknown
Investigator's weather source Weather Observation Facility
Time of the weather observation 955 Eastern Daylight Time
Direction of event from weather observation facility (degrees) 355
Weather Observation Facility ID HST
Elevation of weather observation facility 0
Distance of event from weather observation facility (units?) 22
Time Zone of the weather observation EDT
Lighting Conditions Day
Lowest Ceiling Height 2000
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) 7
Air Temperature at event time (in degrees celsius) 28
Dew Point at event time (in degress fahrenheit) 23
Wind Direction (degrees magnetic) 160
Variable Wind Indicator Unknown
Wind Speed (knots) 13
Wind Velocity Indicator Unknown
Wind Gust Indicator Unknown
Wind Gust (knots) 0
Altimeter Setting at event time (in. Hg) 29
Density Altitude (feet) --
Intensity of Precipitation Unknown
METAR weather report --
Event Highest Injury None
On Ground, Fatal Injuries 0
On Ground, Minor Injuries 0
On Ground, Serious Injuries 0
Injury Total Fatal --
Injury Total Minor --
Injury Total None 2
Injury Total Serious --
Injury Total All --
Investigating Agency NTSB
NTSB Docket Number (internal use) 248
NTSB Notification Source --
NTSB Notification Date Apr 27 1997 12:00AM
NTSB Notification Time 1100
Fiche Number and/or location -used to find docket information IMAGE
Date of most recent change to record Dec 8 2000 12:14PM
User who most recently changed record dbo
Basic weather conditions Visual Meteorological Cond
FAA District Office --

Aircraft Involved

Aircraft #1

Aircraft Registration Number N4141M
NTSB Number MIA97LA150
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-12
Aircraft Series Identifier PA-12
Aircraft Serial Number
Certified Max Gross Weight --
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 Annual
Date of Last Inspection --
Airframe hours since last inspection --
Airframe Hours --
ELT Installed No
ELT Activated Unknown
ELT Aided Location of Event Site Unknown
ELT Type --
Aircraft Owner Name FRED W. MESSINA
Aircraft Owner Street Address 149 DOUGLAS RD.
Aircraft Owner City FAR HILLS
Aircraft Owner State NJ
Aircraft Owner Country
Aircraft Owner Zipcode 07931
Operator is an individual? --
Operator Name JOHN D. MOYER
Operator Same as Owner? No
Operator Is Doing Business As --
Operator Address Same as Owner? No
Operator Street Address 16 DEANNA DR. APT 32
Operator City SOMERVILLE
Operator State NJ
Operator Country
Operator Zip code 08876
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 X09
Departure City
Departure State
Departure Country
Departure Time 0
Departure Time Zone
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 Landing
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 22
Runway Length 5000
Runway Width --
Sight Seeing flight No
Air Medical Flight No
Medical Flight --