Orlando Executive Airport
Aircraft Accident/Incident Report

Orlando, Florida 32807
Friday, November 12, 1993 6:29 EST

NTSB Narrative Summary Released at Completion of Accident

CARGO WAS NOT WEIGHED AND WEIGHT AND BALANCE CALCULATIONS WERE NOT PERFORMED. THE AIRPLANE WAS ABOUT 321 POUNDS OVER GROSS. WHILE TAXIING, A WITNESS REPORTED SEEING BLACK SMOKE TRAILING THE LEFT ENGINE WHICH HAD BEEN WORKED ON THE NIGHT BEFORE THE ACCIDENT. 2 CYLINDERS WERE WORKED ON AND A FUEL INJECTOR NOZZLE WAS CLEANED. THE CLIMB AFTER TAKEOFF WAS 'LOW AND SLOW' DURING WHICH THE AIRPLANE ROLLED LEFT, PITCHED NOSE DOWN, AND IMPACTED THE GROUND COMING TO REST ADJACENT TO A HOUSE. EXAMINATION OF EACH ENGINE REVEALED NO EVIDENCE OF INTERNAL MECHANICAL FAILURE OR MALFUNCTION. HEAT DAMAGE PRECLUDED TESTING OF THE MAGNETOS, TURBOCHARGER COMPONENTS, AND FUEL SERVOS OF EACH ENGINE. EXAMINATION OF EACH PROPELLER REVEALED NO EVIDENCE OF PREIMPACT FAILURE OR MALFUNCTION. THE FUEL NOZZLES FROM THE LEFT ENGINE WERE EXAMINED WHICH REVEALED THAT THEY WERE BLOCKED IN VARIOUS PLACES DUE TO CONTAMINANTS. AFTER THE ACCIDENT THE FAA PERFORMED A FOCUSED INSPECTION OF THE OPERATOR REVEALING THAT THE CARGO WAS NOT BEING WEIGHED, THE CHIEF PILOT OF THE COMPANY WAS IN NAME ONLY, AND LOAD MANIFESTS WERE NOT BEING KEPT BY THE COMPANY.

NTSB Probable Cause Narrative

WAS IN FLIGHT LOSS OF CONTROL FOR FAILURE OF THE PILOT-IN-COMMAND TO MAINTAIN VMC SHORTLY AFTER TAKEOFF. CONTRIBUTING TO THE ACCIDENT WAS PARTIAL LOSS OF ENGINE POWER FROM THE LEFT ENGINE DUE TO PARTIAL BLOCKAGE OF SEVERAL OF THE FUEL INJECTOR NOZZLES. ALSO CONTRIBUTING TO THE ACCIDENT WAS WEIGHT AND BALANCE EXCEEDED BY THE PILOT-IN-COMMAND AND INADEQUATE SURVEILLANCE BY THE COMPANY AND BY THE FAA.

Event Information

Type of Event Accident
Event Date 11/12/1993
Event Day of the Week Friday
Time of Event 629
Event Time Zone Eastern Standard Time
Event City ORLANDO
Event State FLORIDA
Event Country --
Zipcode of the event site 32807
Event Date Year 1993
Event Date Month 11
MidAir Collision Indicator No
On Ground Collision occurred ? No
Event Location Latitude
Event Location Longitude
Event Location Airport ORLANDO EXECUTIVE
Event Location Nearest Airport ID ORL
Indicates whether the acc/inc occurred off or on an airport Off Airport/Airstrip
Distance from airport in statute miles 2
Degrees magnetic from airport 45
Airport Elevation 113
Weather Briefing Completeness Unknown
Investigator's weather source Weather Observation Facility
Time of the weather observation 640 Eastern Standard Time
Direction of event from weather observation facility (degrees) 2
Weather Observation Facility ID ORL
Elevation of weather observation facility 113
Distance of event from weather observation facility (units?) 225
Time Zone of the weather observation EST
Lighting Conditions Dawn
Lowest Ceiling Height 0
Lowest Non-Ceiling Height 500
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) 7
Air Temperature at event time (in degrees celsius) 14
Dew Point at event time (in degress fahrenheit) 13
Wind Direction (degrees magnetic) 10
Variable Wind Indicator Unknown
Wind Speed (knots) 2
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 2
On Ground, Serious Injuries 0
Injury Total Fatal 1
Injury Total Minor 2
Injury Total None --
Injury Total Serious --
Injury Total All 3
Investigating Agency NTSB
NTSB Docket Number (internal use) 2136
NTSB Notification Source --
NTSB Notification Date Nov 12 1993 12:00AM
NTSB Notification Time 708
Fiche Number and/or location -used to find docket information IMAGE
Date of most recent change to record Dec 11 2000 1:45PM
User who most recently changed record dbo
Basic weather conditions Visual Meteorological Cond
FAA District Office --

Aircraft Involved

Aircraft #1

Aircraft Registration Number N27687
NTSB Number MIA94FA020
Missing Aircraft Indicator N
Federal Aviation Reg. Part Part 135: Air Taxi & Commuter
Type of Flight Plan filed VFR
Flight plan Was Activated? --
Damage Destroyed
Aircraft Fire Ground
Aircraft Explosion Unknown
Aircraft Manufacturer's Full Name PIPER
Aircraft Model PA-31-350
Aircraft Series Identifier PA-31-350
Aircraft Serial Number 31-7852107
Certified Max Gross Weight 7000
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 2
Fixed gear or retractable gear Retractable
Aircraft, Type of Last Inspection Continuous Airworthiness
Date of Last Inspection Oct 30 1993 12:00AM
Airframe hours since last inspection 5
Airframe Hours 8393
ELT Installed Yes
ELT Activated Yes
ELT Aided Location of Event Site No
ELT Type --
Aircraft Owner Name CHEROKEE LEASING, INC.
Aircraft Owner Street Address P.O. BOX 140968
Aircraft Owner City ORLANDO
Aircraft Owner State FL
Aircraft Owner Country
Aircraft Owner Zipcode 32814
Operator is an individual? --
Operator Name CHEROKEE EXPRESS, INC.
Operator Same as Owner? No
Operator Is Doing Business As --
Operator Address Same as Owner? No
Operator Street Address 83 N. CRYSTAL LAKE DR.
Operator City ORLANDO
Operator State FL
Operator Country
Operator Zip code 32814
Operator Code HZTA
Owner has at least one certificate Yes - certificate holder
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 Non-scheduled
Indicates Domestic or International Flight Domestic
Operator carrying Pax/Cargo/Mail Cargo
Type of Flying (Per_Bus / Primary) Unknown
Second Pilot on Board No
Departure Point Same as Event Yes
Departure Airport Code ORL
Departure City
Departure State
Departure Country
Departure Time 627
Departure Time Zone EST
Destination Same as Local Flt --
Destination Airport Code TPA
Destination City TAMPA
Destination State FL
Destination Country
Specific Phase of Flight Takeoff
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 7
Runway Length 5998
Runway Width 150
Sight Seeing flight No
Air Medical Flight No
Medical Flight --