Aircraft Accident/Incident Report

Immokalee, Florida 33934
Monday, April 12, 1993 13:00 EDT

NTSB Narrative Summary Released at Completion of Accident

THE PILOT STATED THAT HE BECAME BORED WHILE FLYING AND ELECTED TO DESCEND TO FLY CLOSE TO THE GROUND. HE DESCENDED TO APPROXIMATELY 100 FEET ABOVE THE GROUND AND HAD BEEN AT THAT ALTITUDE FOR APPROXIMATELY 30 SECONDS WHEN HE FELT AN IMPACT. HE DIVERTED TO A NEARBY AIRPORT AND LANDED UNEVENTFULLY WHERE HE DISCOVERED THAT THE TOP PORTION OF THE VERTICAL STABILIZER WAS MISSING.

NTSB Probable Cause Narrative

THE DECISION OF THE PILOT TO BUZZ AND HIS FAILURE TO MAINTAIN ADEQUATE VISUAL LOOKOUT.

Event Information

Type of Event Accident
Event Date 4/12/1993
Event Day of the Week Monday
Time of Event 1300
Event Time Zone Eastern Daylight Time
Event City IMMOKALEE
Event State FLORIDA
Event Country --
Zipcode of the event site 33934
Event Date Year 1993
Event Date Month 4
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 0
Degrees magnetic from airport 0
Airport Elevation --
Weather Briefing Completeness Unknown
Investigator's weather source Weather Observation Facility
Time of the weather observation 1248 Eastern Daylight Time
Direction of event from weather observation facility (degrees) 273
Weather Observation Facility ID RSW
Elevation of weather observation facility 31
Distance of event from weather observation facility (units?) 20
Time Zone of the weather observation EDT
Lighting Conditions Day
Lowest Ceiling Height 0
Lowest Non-Ceiling Height 0
Sky/Lowest/Cloud Conditions Unknown
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) 27
Dew Point at event time (in degress fahrenheit) 11
Wind Direction (degrees magnetic) 110
Variable Wind Indicator Unknown
Wind Speed (knots) 6
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 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 1
Injury Total Serious --
Injury Total All --
Investigating Agency NTSB
NTSB Docket Number (internal use) 489
NTSB Notification Source --
NTSB Notification Date May 26 1993 12:00AM
NTSB Notification Time 1430
Fiche Number and/or location -used to find docket information 51610
Date of most recent change to record Dec 11 2000 1:15PM
User who most recently changed record dbo
Basic weather conditions Visual Meteorological Cond
FAA District Office --

Aircraft Involved

Aircraft #1

Aircraft Registration Number N6542J
NTSB Number MIA93LA132
Missing Aircraft Indicator N
Federal Aviation Reg. Part Part 91: General Aviation
Type of Flight Plan filed Unknown
Flight plan Was Activated? --
Damage Substantial
Aircraft Fire None
Aircraft Explosion None
Aircraft Manufacturer's Full Name CESSNA
Aircraft Model 172N
Aircraft Series Identifier 172N
Aircraft Serial Number 17273887
Certified Max Gross Weight 2300
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 AAIP
Date of Last Inspection Mar 23 1993 12:00AM
Airframe hours since last inspection 51
Airframe Hours 4003
ELT Installed Yes
ELT Activated No
ELT Aided Location of Event Site No
ELT Type --
Aircraft Owner Name ATE OF TEXAS, INC.
Aircraft Owner Street Address 26 N. MEACHAM FIELD
Aircraft Owner City FT WORTH
Aircraft Owner State TX
Aircraft Owner Country
Aircraft Owner Zipcode 76106
Operator is an individual? --
Operator Name AMERICAN FLYERS, INC.
Operator Same as Owner? No
Operator Is Doing Business As --
Operator Address Same as Owner? No
Operator Street Address 5400 NW 21 TERRACE
Operator City FORT LAUDERDALE
Operator State FL
Operator Country
Operator Zip code 33309
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 No
Departure Point Same as Event No
Departure Airport Code FXE
Departure City FORT LAUDERDALE
Departure State FL
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 Cruise
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 --