Aircraft Accident/Incident Report

Morriston, Florida 32668
Wednesday, July 21, 1993 9:00 EDT

NTSB Narrative Summary Released at Completion of Accident

FLIGHT FOLLOWING WAS CANCELLED AFTER A CREWMEMBER ADVISED THE ARTCC CONTROLLER THAT THE FLIGHT WAS DESCENDING FROM 2500 TO 1500 FEET. THE CONTROLLER ADVISED THE CREW THAT RADAR SERVICE WAS TERMINATED, AND THE CREW ACKNOWLEDGED. A WITNESS REPORTED LOW CLOUDS AND FOG NEAR THE ANTENNA. HE SAW THE AIRPLANE EMERGE FROM CLOUDS ON A NORTHWESTERLY HEADING. HE REPORTED THE AIRPLANE BANKED TO THE RIGHT AND THAT THE LEFT WING COLLIDED WITH A GUY WIRE AND SEPARATED. THE AIRPLANE THEN DESCENDED AND IMPACTED THE GROUND. THE TOP BEACON STROBE LIGHT OF THE ANTENNA WAS OPERATING BEFORE THE ACCIDENT. EXAMINATION OF THE AIRFRAME AND ENGINE REVEALED NO EVIDENCE OF PREIMPACT FAILURE OR MALFUNCTION. A CURRENT SECTIONAL CHART WAS FOUND IN THE WRECKAGE THAT DEPICTED THE TOWER. REVIEW OF RECORDED RADAR DATA REVEALED THAT THE REPORTED ALTITUDE OF THE AIRPLANE CORRESPONDED WITH THE ENCODED ALTITUDE. NO RECORD WAS FOUND THAT THE PILOT(S) HAD OBTAINED A CURRENT WEATHER BRIEFING BEFORE DEPARTURE.

NTSB Probable Cause Narrative

VFR FLIGHT BY THE PILOT(S) INTO INSTRUMENT METEOROLOGICAL CONDITIONS (IMC) AND FAILURE TO MAINTAIN ADEQUATE ALTITUDE (OR CLEARANCE) FROM THE TOWER. THE PROXIMITY OF THE TOWER/GUY WIRES AND WEATHER CONDITION WERE RELATED FACTORS.

Event Information

Type of Event Accident
Event Date 7/21/1993
Event Day of the Week Wednesday
Time of Event 900
Event Time Zone Eastern Daylight Time
Event City MORRISTON
Event State FLORIDA
Event Country --
Zipcode of the event site 32668
Event Date Year 1993
Event Date Month 7
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 850 Eastern Daylight Time
Direction of event from weather observation facility (degrees) 33
Weather Observation Facility ID GNV
Elevation of weather observation facility 125
Distance of event from weather observation facility (units?) 30
Time Zone of the weather observation EDT
Lighting Conditions Day
Lowest Ceiling Height 400
Lowest Non-Ceiling Height 0
Sky/Lowest/Cloud Conditions Partial Obscuration
Sky Condition for Lowest Ceiling Broken
Visibility Runway Visual Range (Feet) 0
Visibility Runway Visual Value (Statute Miles) 0
Visibility (Statute Miles) 1
Air Temperature at event time (in degrees celsius) 25
Dew Point at event time (in degress fahrenheit) 25
Wind Direction (degrees magnetic) 0
Variable Wind Indicator Unknown
Wind Speed (knots) 0
Wind Velocity Indicator Calm
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 4
Injury Total Minor --
Injury Total None --
Injury Total Serious --
Injury Total All 4
Investigating Agency NTSB
NTSB Docket Number (internal use) 1226
NTSB Notification Source --
NTSB Notification Date Jul 21 1993 12:00AM
NTSB Notification Time 945
Fiche Number and/or location -used to find docket information IMAGE
Date of most recent change to record Dec 11 2000 1:29PM
User who most recently changed record dbo
Basic weather conditions Instrument Meteorological Cond
FAA District Office --

Aircraft Involved

Aircraft #1

Aircraft Registration Number N5096W
NTSB Number MIA93FA160
Missing Aircraft Indicator N
Federal Aviation Reg. Part Part 91: General Aviation
Type of Flight Plan filed None
Flight plan Was Activated? --
Damage Destroyed
Aircraft Fire None
Aircraft Explosion None
Aircraft Manufacturer's Full Name PIPER
Aircraft Model PA-28
Aircraft Series Identifier PA-28
Aircraft Serial Number 28-108
Certified Max Gross Weight 2200
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 Annual
Date of Last Inspection Feb 1 1993 12:00AM
Airframe hours since last inspection 75
Airframe Hours 2403
ELT Installed Yes
ELT Activated No
ELT Aided Location of Event Site Unknown
ELT Type --
Aircraft Owner Name JR AIRCRAFT, INC.
Aircraft Owner Street Address 3726 FALCON DR.
Aircraft Owner City OMAHA
Aircraft Owner State NE
Aircraft Owner Country
Aircraft Owner Zipcode 68123
Operator is an individual? --
Operator Name KNIGHT FLIGHT LTD.
Operator Same as Owner? No
Operator Is Doing Business As --
Operator Address Same as Owner? No
Operator Street Address 1435 E. 29 ST. BLDG. 135
Operator City SANFORD
Operator State FL
Operator Country
Operator Zip code 32773
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 Yes
Departure Point Same as Event No
Departure Airport Code SFB
Departure City SANFORD
Departure State FL
Departure Country
Departure Time 757
Departure Time Zone EDT
Destination Same as Local Flt --
Destination Airport Code PFN
Destination City PANAMA CITY
Destination State FL
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 --