Aircraft Accident/Incident Report

Everglades City, Florida 33929
Saturday, February 23, 1991 20:30 EST

NTSB Narrative Summary Released at Completion of Accident

DURING THE RETURN LEG OF A STUDENT PLT SOLO CROSS COUNTRY AT NIGHT, THE STUDENT PLT FLEW INTO A CLOUD & BECAME DISORIENTED. THE ACFT ENTERED A SPIRAL & DESCENDED UNTIL IMPACT WITH TERRAIN. THERE WERE NO GROUND REFERENCE LIGHTS IN THE AREA OF THE LOSS OF CONTROL. THE STUDENT PLT DEPARTED ON THE FIRST LEG (1 HR FLT) OF A TWO LEG CROSS COUNTRY FLT 47 MINUTES BEFORE THE OFFICIAL END OF TWILIGHT. HIS CFI REPORTEDLY REVIEWED HIS FLT PLANNING BUT DID NOT SIGN THE STUDENT'S LOGBOOK.

NTSB Probable Cause Narrative

INADEQUATE SUPERVISION BY THE FLIGHT INSTRUCTOR. FACTORS WERE: DARK NIGHT CONDITION, PENETRATION OF A CLOUD, AND SPATIAL DISORIENTATION RESULTING IN A SPIRAL.

Event Information

Type of Event Accident
Event Date 2/23/1991
Event Day of the Week Saturday
Time of Event 2030
Event Time Zone Eastern Standard Time
Event City EVERGLADES CITY
Event State FLORIDA
Event Country --
Zipcode of the event site 33929
Event Date Year 1991
Event Date Month 2
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 0 Eastern Standard Time
Direction of event from weather observation facility (degrees) 313
Weather Observation Facility ID APF
Elevation of weather observation facility 9
Distance of event from weather observation facility (units?) 32
Time Zone of the weather observation EST
Lighting Conditions Night/Dark
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) 10
Air Temperature at event time (in degrees celsius) 21
Dew Point at event time (in degress fahrenheit) 18
Wind Direction (degrees magnetic) 330
Variable Wind Indicator Unknown
Wind Speed (knots) 6
Wind Velocity Indicator Unknown
Wind Gust Indicator Unknown
Wind Gust (knots) 0
Altimeter Setting at event time (in. Hg) 30
Density Altitude (feet) 0
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) 329
NTSB Notification Source --
NTSB Notification Date --
NTSB Notification Time 0
Fiche Number and/or location -used to find docket information 43424
Date of most recent change to record Dec 12 2000 9:23AM
User who most recently changed record dbo
Basic weather conditions Visual Meteorological Cond
FAA District Office --

Aircraft Involved

Aircraft #1

Aircraft Registration Number N1469Q
NTSB Number MIA91LA086
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 CESSNA
Aircraft Model 150L
Aircraft Series Identifier 150L
Aircraft Serial Number 15072769
Certified Max Gross Weight 1600
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 1
Fixed gear or retractable gear Fixed
Aircraft, Type of Last Inspection Unknown
Date of Last Inspection --
Airframe hours since last inspection 0
Airframe Hours --
ELT Installed Yes
ELT Activated Yes
ELT Aided Location of Event Site Yes
ELT Type --
Aircraft Owner Name TRANS-AMERICAN AIRWAYS, INC.
Aircraft Owner Street Address P.O. BOX 402941
Aircraft Owner City MIAMI BEACH
Aircraft Owner State FL
Aircraft Owner Country
Aircraft Owner Zipcode 33140
Operator is an individual? --
Operator Name TRANS-AMERICAN AIRWAYS, INC.
Operator Same as Owner? Yes
Operator Is Doing Business As --
Operator Address Same as Owner? Yes
Operator Street Address P.O. BOX 402941
Operator City MIAMI BEACH
Operator State FL
Operator Country
Operator Zip code 33140
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) Instructional
Second Pilot on Board No
Departure Point Same as Event No
Departure Airport Code APF
Departure City NAPLES
Departure State FL
Departure Country
Departure Time 1955
Departure Time Zone EST
Destination Same as Local Flt --
Destination Airport Code TMB
Destination City MIAMI
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 10:35AM
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 --