Aircraft Accident/Incident Report

Homestead, Florida 33090
Monday, January 13, 1992 18:23 EST

NTSB Narrative Summary Released at Completion of Accident

NON-INSTRUMENT RATED PLT WAS FLYING NORTHBOUND OVER BISCAYNE BAY AT NIGHT. WX WAS 1500 TO 2500 SCT WITH RAINSHOWERS. FLT WAS RADIO AND RADAR CONTACT WITH MIAMI APPROACH AND WAS OBSERVED TO FLY ERRATIC HEADING AND ALTITUDE. PLT REPORTED TO ATC HE WAS LOSING CONTROL. GROUND WITNESSES ON SAIL BOAT IN HARBOR OF BOCA CHITA ISLAND REPORTED SEEING ACFT DESCENDING AT 45 DEGREE NOSE DOWN ATTITUDE AND CRASH INTO BAY. POST CRASH EXAM OF WRECKAGE REVEALED NO EVIDENCE OF FAILURE OR MALFUNCTION OF ACFT STRUCTURE, FLT CONTROLS, ENGINE, OR VACUUM SYSTEM. PLT LOGBOOK WAS NOT LOCATED AFTER ACCIDENT AND RECENCY OF EXPERIENCE FOR NIGHT FLIGHT AND INSTRUMENT FLIGHT COULD NOT BE DETERMINED.

NTSB Probable Cause Narrative

THE NON-INSTRUMENT RATED PILOT'S CONTINUED VFR FLIGHT INTO INSTRUMENT FLIGHT CONDITIONS RESULTING IN SPATIAL DISORIENTATION AND INFLIGHT LOSS OF CONTROL.

Event Information

Type of Event Accident
Event Date 1/13/1992
Event Day of the Week Monday
Time of Event 1823
Event Time Zone Eastern Standard Time
Event City HOMESTEAD
Event State FLORIDA
Event Country --
Zipcode of the event site 33090
Event Date Year 1992
Event Date Month 1
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 Full
Investigator's weather source Weather Observation Facility
Time of the weather observation 1855 Eastern Standard Time
Direction of event from weather observation facility (degrees) 270
Weather Observation Facility ID HST
Elevation of weather observation facility 7
Distance of event from weather observation facility (units?) 12
Time Zone of the weather observation EST
Lighting Conditions Night/Dark
Lowest Ceiling Height 0
Lowest Non-Ceiling Height 2500
Sky/Lowest/Cloud Conditions Scattered
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) 23
Dew Point at event time (in degress fahrenheit) 21
Wind Direction (degrees magnetic) 180
Variable Wind Indicator Unknown
Wind Speed (knots) 2
Wind Velocity Indicator Unknown
Wind Gust Indicator Unknown
Wind Gust (knots) 0
Altimeter Setting at event time (in. Hg) 29
Density Altitude (feet) 900
Intensity of Precipitation Light
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 2
Injury Total Minor --
Injury Total None --
Injury Total Serious --
Injury Total All 2
Investigating Agency NTSB
NTSB Docket Number (internal use) 160
NTSB Notification Source --
NTSB Notification Date --
NTSB Notification Time 0
Fiche Number and/or location -used to find docket information 46104
Date of most recent change to record Dec 11 2000 2:42PM
User who most recently changed record dbo
Basic weather conditions Visual Meteorological Cond
FAA District Office --

Aircraft Involved

Aircraft #1

Aircraft Registration Number N2606Y
NTSB Number MIA92FA062
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-28-161
Aircraft Series Identifier PA-28-161
Aircraft Serial Number 28-8616045
Certified Max Gross Weight 2447
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 100 Hour
Date of Last Inspection Jan 3 1992 12:00AM
Airframe hours since last inspection 32
Airframe Hours 3788
ELT Installed No
ELT Activated Unknown
ELT Aided Location of Event Site Unknown
ELT Type --
Aircraft Owner Name BOCA FLIGHT CENTER, INC.
Aircraft Owner Street Address 3700 AIRPORT ROAD
Aircraft Owner City BOCA RATON
Aircraft Owner State FL
Aircraft Owner Country
Aircraft Owner Zipcode 33431
Operator is an individual? --
Operator Name BOCA FLIGHT CENTER, INC.
Operator Same as Owner? Yes
Operator Is Doing Business As --
Operator Address Same as Owner? Yes
Operator Street Address 3700 AIRPORT ROAD
Operator City BOCA RATON
Operator State FL
Operator Country
Operator Zip code 33431
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 No
Departure Airport Code X09
Departure City KEY LARGO
Departure State FL
Departure Country
Departure Time 1815
Departure Time Zone EST
Destination Same as Local Flt --
Destination Airport Code FLL
Destination City FT. LAUDERDALE
Destination State FL
Destination Country
Specific Phase of Flight Descent
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 --