Aircraft Accident/Incident Report

Atlantic Ocean
Thursday, January 23, 1992 EST

NTSB Narrative Summary Released at Completion of Accident

THE NON INSTRUMENT RATED PRIVATE PILOT AND TWO PASSENGERS DEPARTED ON A VFR FLIGHT FROM FORT LAUDERDALE, FLORIDA, TO STELLA MARIS, BAHAMAS. A VFR FLIGHT PLAN WAS FILED BUT NOT ACTIVATED. VFR FLIGHT WAS NOT RECOMMENDED BY MIAMI FLIGHT SERVICE STATION DUE TO WEATHER. THE PILOT DEPARTED THE AIRPORT WHEN THE WEATHER CONDITIONS PERMITTED VFR FLIGHT. THE PILOT DECLINED FLIGHT FOLLOWING IN THE OUTER ARSA, AND WAS INFORMED THAT HIS TRANSPONDER WAS NOT BEING PICKED UP ON CLIMB OUT. RADAR SERVICE WAS TERMINATED SIX MINUTES AFTER TAKEOFF. THERE WERE NO OTHER KNOWN RADIO COMMUNICATIONS WITH THE PILOT. A BODY WAS LOCATED IN THE ATLANTIC OCEAN TWO DAYS LATER BY A FISHING BOAT. THE COAST GUARD WAS DISPATCHED TO THE SCENE AND TWO OTHER BODIES, TWO BLUE TOTE BAGS, A WALLET, AND A LIGHT BROWN AIRPLANE SEAT CUSHION WAS LOCATED IN THE GENERAL LOCATION OF THE FIRST BODY. ALL REMAINS WERE IDENTIFIED BY THE MEDICAL EXAMINER. AIRCRAFT DELIVERY DOCUMENTS INDICATE BUCKSKIN SEATS WERE INSTALLED.

NTSB Probable Cause Narrative

UNDETERMINED. THE AIRPLANE CRASHED IN THE ATLANTIC OCEAN AND WAS NOT LOCATED.

Event Information

Type of Event Accident
Event Date 1/23/1992
Event Day of the Week Thursday
Time of Event 1
Event Time Zone Eastern Standard Time
Event City ATLANTIC OCEAN
Event State ATLANTIC OCEAN
Event Country --
Zipcode of the event site 00000
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 0
Degrees magnetic from airport 0
Airport Elevation --
Weather Briefing Completeness Full
Investigator's weather source Weather Observation Facility
Time of the weather observation 1447 Eastern Standard Time
Direction of event from weather observation facility (degrees) 360
Weather Observation Facility ID FLL
Elevation of weather observation facility 11
Distance of event from weather observation facility (units?) 1
Time Zone of the weather observation EST
Lighting Conditions Day
Lowest Ceiling Height 10000
Lowest Non-Ceiling Height 0
Sky/Lowest/Cloud Conditions Unknown
Sky Condition for Lowest Ceiling Overcast
Visibility Runway Visual Range (Feet) 0
Visibility Runway Visual Value (Statute Miles) 0
Visibility (Statute Miles) 3
Air Temperature at event time (in degrees celsius) 21
Dew Point at event time (in degress fahrenheit) 19
Wind Direction (degrees magnetic) 230
Variable Wind Indicator Unknown
Wind Speed (knots) 4
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 Fatal
On Ground, Fatal Injuries 0
On Ground, Minor Injuries 0
On Ground, Serious Injuries 0
Injury Total Fatal 3
Injury Total Minor --
Injury Total None --
Injury Total Serious --
Injury Total All 3
Investigating Agency NTSB
NTSB Docket Number (internal use) 13
NTSB Notification Source --
NTSB Notification Date --
NTSB Notification Time 0
Fiche Number and/or location -used to find docket information 45900
Date of most recent change to record Dec 11 2000 2:42PM
User who most recently changed record dbo
Basic weather conditions Unknown
FAA District Office --

Aircraft Involved

Aircraft #1

Aircraft Registration Number N8300X
NTSB Number MIA92LA068
Missing Aircraft Indicator N
Federal Aviation Reg. Part Part 91: General Aviation
Type of Flight Plan filed VFR
Flight plan Was Activated? --
Damage Destroyed
Aircraft Fire Unknown
Aircraft Explosion Unknown
Aircraft Manufacturer's Full Name PIPER
Aircraft Model PA-32-301
Aircraft Series Identifier PA-32-301
Aircraft Serial Number 32-8106030
Certified Max Gross Weight 3400
Aircraft Category Airplane
Aircraft Registration Class U.S. Registered/U.S. Soil
Aircraft is a homebuilt? Unknown
Flight Crew Seats --
Cabin Crew Seats --
Passenger Seats --
Total number of seats on the aircraft 7
Number of Engines 1
Fixed gear or retractable gear Fixed
Aircraft, Type of Last Inspection Unknown
Date of Last Inspection Jan 2 2000 12:00AM
Airframe hours since last inspection --
Airframe Hours --
ELT Installed Unknown
ELT Activated No
ELT Aided Location of Event Site No
ELT Type --
Aircraft Owner Name OTFRIED H. GAIDA
Aircraft Owner Street Address 19951 MILAN TERRACE
Aircraft Owner City BOCA ROTAN
Aircraft Owner State FL
Aircraft Owner Country
Aircraft Owner Zipcode 33432
Operator is an individual? --
Operator Name OTFRIED H. GAIDA
Operator Same as Owner? Yes
Operator Is Doing Business As --
Operator Address Same as Owner? Yes
Operator Street Address 19951 MILAN TERRACE
Operator City BOCA ROTAN
Operator State FL
Operator Country
Operator Zip code 33432
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 FLL
Departure City FORT LAUDERDALE
Departure State FL
Departure Country
Departure Time 1448
Departure Time Zone EST
Destination Same as Local Flt --
Destination Airport Code MYLS
Destination City STELLA MARIS
Destination State OF
Destination Country
Specific Phase of Flight Unknown
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 --