Aircraft Accident/Incident Report

New Port Richey, Florida 33553
Thursday, April 23, 1992 16:06 EDT

NTSB Narrative Summary Released at Completion of Accident

THE PIC DEPARTED ON A FERRY FLIGHT IN VFR CONDITIONS WITHOUT A FERRY PERMIT. WITNESSES STATED THEY OBSERVED THE AIRPLANE RETURNING TO THE AIRPORT AT ABOUT 150 TO 500 FEET. THE AIRPLANE WAS OBSERVED TO BEGAN A LEFT TURN WITH THE LANDING GEAR EXTENDED. A FIRE WAS OBSERVED IN THE VICINITY OF THE LEFT ENGINE EXHAUST. THE AIRPLANE CONTINUED IN A STEEP DESCENDING LEFT TURN BEFORE IT DISAPPEARED BELOW THE TREE LINE AND COLLIDED WITH THE TERRAIN. THE AIRPLANE WAS DESTROYED AND THE PILOT WAS FATALLY INJURED.

NTSB Probable Cause Narrative

THE PILOT-IN-COMMAND'S FAILURE TO MAINTAIN AIRSPEED (VS) WHILE MANEUVERING FOR A FORCED LANDING FOLLOWING AN IN FLIGHT LEFT ENGINE FIRE FOR UNDETERMINED REASONS. CONTRIBUTING TO THE ACCIDENT WAS THE PILOT IN COMMAND'S INADVERTENT SHUTDOWN OF THE WRONG ENGINE.

Event Information

Type of Event Accident
Event Date 4/23/1992
Event Day of the Week Thursday
Time of Event 1606
Event Time Zone Eastern Daylight Time
Event City NEW PORT RICHEY
Event State FLORIDA
Event Country --
Zipcode of the event site 33553
Event Date Year 1992
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 0
Weather Briefing Completeness Unknown
Investigator's weather source Weather Observation Facility
Time of the weather observation 1553 Eastern Daylight Time
Direction of event from weather observation facility (degrees) 340
Weather Observation Facility ID TPA
Elevation of weather observation facility 27
Distance of event from weather observation facility (units?) 17
Time Zone of the weather observation EDT
Lighting Conditions Day
Lowest Ceiling Height 25000
Lowest Non-Ceiling Height 0
Sky/Lowest/Cloud Conditions Unknown
Sky Condition for Lowest Ceiling Broken
Visibility Runway Visual Range (Feet) 0
Visibility Runway Visual Value (Statute Miles) 0
Visibility (Statute Miles) 6
Air Temperature at event time (in degrees celsius) 27
Dew Point at event time (in degress fahrenheit) 21
Wind Direction (degrees magnetic) 10
Variable Wind Indicator Unknown
Wind Speed (knots) 17
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 Fatal
On Ground, Fatal Injuries 0
On Ground, Minor Injuries 0
On Ground, Serious Injuries 0
Injury Total Fatal 1
Injury Total Minor --
Injury Total None --
Injury Total Serious --
Injury Total All 1
Investigating Agency NTSB
NTSB Docket Number (internal use) 359
NTSB Notification Source --
NTSB Notification Date --
NTSB Notification Time 0
Fiche Number and/or location -used to find docket information 46460
Date of most recent change to record Dec 11 2000 2:51PM
User who most recently changed record dbo
Basic weather conditions Visual Meteorological Cond
FAA District Office --

Aircraft Involved

Aircraft #1

Aircraft Registration Number N3271Q
NTSB Number MIA92FA114
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 Ground and In-flight
Aircraft Explosion None
Aircraft Manufacturer's Full Name CESSNA
Aircraft Model 401
Aircraft Series Identifier 401
Aircraft Serial Number 401-0071
Certified Max Gross Weight 6300
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 2
Fixed gear or retractable gear Retractable
Aircraft, Type of Last Inspection Annual
Date of Last Inspection Apr 1 1987 12:00AM
Airframe hours since last inspection --
Airframe Hours --
ELT Installed Yes
ELT Activated No
ELT Aided Location of Event Site No
ELT Type --
Aircraft Owner Name HOWARD F. ARENDS ENT INC.
Aircraft Owner Street Address 7203 AIRWAY BLVD
Aircraft Owner City NEW PORT RICHEY
Aircraft Owner State FL
Aircraft Owner Country
Aircraft Owner Zipcode 33553
Operator is an individual? --
Operator Name JOSEPH A. MCDONALD
Operator Same as Owner? No
Operator Is Doing Business As --
Operator Address Same as Owner? No
Operator Street Address PO BOX 2626
Operator City HIGH SPRINGS
Operator State FL
Operator Country
Operator Zip code 32643
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) Ferry
Second Pilot on Board No
Departure Point Same as Event Yes
Departure Airport Code
Departure City
Departure State
Departure Country
Departure Time 1600
Departure Time Zone EDT
Destination Same as Local Flt --
Destination Airport Code GNV
Destination City GAINESVILLE
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 10:34AM
User who most recently changed record dbo
Since inspection or accident --
Event Location Runway Number and Location 0
Runway Length 0
Runway Width 0
Sight Seeing flight No
Air Medical Flight No
Medical Flight --