Aircraft Accident/Incident Report

Okeechobee, Florida 34974
Tuesady, July 7, 1992 9:39 EDT

NTSB Narrative Summary Released at Completion of Accident

THE PILOT OF N148DP FILED A VFR FLIGHT PLAN, BUT DID NOT OBTAIN NOTAM INFORMATION FOR HIS ROUTE OF FLIGHT. EN ROUTE HE REPORTED TO THE AIR FORCE AVON PARK OPERATIONS THAT HE INTENDED TO PASS TO THE SOUTH OF THE RESTRICTED AREA AT AVON PARK. WHILE IN CRUISE FLIGHT AT 1,400 FEET OVER INSTRUMENT ROUTE 34 (IR 34), N148DP ENCOUNTERED A FLIGHT OF FOUR F16 AIRCRAFT FLYING AT 1,500 FEET AT 500 KNOTS. THE F16 AIRCRAFT WERE IN WIDE FORMATION AND NONE OF THE AIRCRAFT HAD RADAR CONTACT WITH N148DP. THE LEAD AIRCRAFT PERFORMED A 6 'G' PULL UP TO AVOID COLLISION WITH N148DP. N148DP ENCOUNTERED WAKE TURBULENCE FROM THE F16 AND SUSTAINED SUBSTANTIAL DAMAGE TO THE STRUCTURE. THE PILOT OF N148DP CONTINUED TO THE DESTINATION AND LANDED UNEVENTFULLY. THE F16 FLIGHT CONTINUED THE MISSION AND RETURNED TO BASE UNEVENTFULLY. THE IR 34 ROUTE WAS ON A NOTICE TO AIRMAN (NOTAM) AS BEING ACTIVE AT THE TIME OF THE OCCURRENCE.

NTSB Probable Cause Narrative

THE FAILURE OF THE PILOT-IN-COMMAND OF N148DP TO OBTAIN NOTAM INFORMATION CONCERNING MILITARY ROUTES ALONG HIS ROUTE OF FLIGHT, RESULTING IN HIS ENCOUNTER WITH A FLIGHT OF F16 AIRCRAFT WHO WERE OPERATING ON A MILITARY ROUTE.

Event Information

Type of Event Accident
Event Date 7/7/1992
Event Day of the Week Tuesday
Time of Event 939
Event Time Zone Eastern Daylight Time
Event City OKEECHOBEE
Event State FLORIDA
Event Country --
Zipcode of the event site 34974
Event Date Year 1992
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 0
Degrees magnetic from airport 0
Airport Elevation --
Weather Briefing Completeness Partial - limited by pilot
Investigator's weather source Weather Observation Facility
Time of the weather observation 947 Eastern Daylight Time
Direction of event from weather observation facility (degrees) 60
Weather Observation Facility ID FPR
Elevation of weather observation facility 24
Distance of event from weather observation facility (units?) 44
Time Zone of the weather observation EDT
Lighting Conditions Day
Lowest Ceiling Height 0
Lowest Non-Ceiling Height 0
Sky/Lowest/Cloud Conditions Clear
Sky Condition for Lowest Ceiling None
Visibility Runway Visual Range (Feet) 0
Visibility Runway Visual Value (Statute Miles) 0
Visibility (Statute Miles) 5
Air Temperature at event time (in degrees celsius) --
Dew Point at event time (in degress fahrenheit) --
Wind Direction (degrees magnetic) 250
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) 30
Density Altitude (feet) --
Intensity of Precipitation Unknown
METAR weather report --
Event Highest Injury Minor
On Ground, Fatal Injuries 0
On Ground, Minor Injuries 0
On Ground, Serious Injuries 0
Injury Total Fatal --
Injury Total Minor 1
Injury Total None --
Injury Total Serious --
Injury Total All 1
Investigating Agency NTSB
NTSB Docket Number (internal use) 3020
NTSB Notification Source --
NTSB Notification Date Jul 7 1992 12:00AM
NTSB Notification Time 1245
Fiche Number and/or location -used to find docket information 47237
Date of most recent change to record Dec 11 2000 3:05PM
User who most recently changed record dbo
Basic weather conditions Visual Meteorological Cond
FAA District Office --

Aircraft Involved

Aircraft #1

Aircraft Registration Number N148DP
NTSB Number MIA92LA147
Missing Aircraft Indicator N
Federal Aviation Reg. Part Part 91: General Aviation
Type of Flight Plan filed VFR
Flight plan Was Activated? --
Damage Substantial
Aircraft Fire None
Aircraft Explosion None
Aircraft Manufacturer's Full Name MAULE
Aircraft Model MX-7-180
Aircraft Series Identifier MX-7-180
Aircraft Serial Number 11015C
Certified Max Gross Weight 2500
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 May 28 1992 12:00AM
Airframe hours since last inspection 14
Airframe Hours 758
ELT Installed Yes
ELT Activated No
ELT Aided Location of Event Site Unknown
ELT Type --
Aircraft Owner Name SCRUGGS, DEBRA C.
Aircraft Owner Street Address P.O. DRAWER 907
Aircraft Owner City JUPITER
Aircraft Owner State FL
Aircraft Owner Country
Aircraft Owner Zipcode 33468
Operator is an individual? --
Operator Name SCRUGGS, DEBRA C.
Operator Same as Owner? Yes
Operator Is Doing Business As --
Operator Address Same as Owner? Yes
Operator Street Address P.O. DRAWER 907
Operator City JUPITER
Operator State FL
Operator Country
Operator Zip code 33468
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 TPF
Departure City TAMPA
Departure State FL
Departure Country
Departure Time 855
Departure Time Zone EDT
Destination Same as Local Flt --
Destination Airport Code SUA
Destination City STUART
Destination State FL
Destination Country
Specific Phase of Flight Cruise
Report sent to ICAO? --
Evacuation occurred --
Date of most recent change to record Jan 2 2001 10:35AM
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 --