Aircraft Accident/Incident Report

Panama City, Florida 32405
Thursday, March 14, 1991 15:42 CST

NTSB Narrative Summary Released at Completion of Accident

THE PLT DEPARTED VFR ON A PERSONAL FLT ALONG THE SHORELINE. NO FLT PLAN WAS FILED. THE PLT/PAX INITIATED A CLIMB AND THE ENG STARTED TO BACKFIRE. THE PLT TOOK CONTROL OF THE AIRPLANE, APPLIED FULL THROTTLE, OBTAINED BEST GLIDE AIRSPEED AND INITIATED A FORCED LANDING ON THE BEACH. HOWEVER, THE LANDING WAS DIVERTED TO THE OCEAN DUE TO PERSONNEL ON THE BEACH. WITNESSES STATED THEY OBSERVED THE AIRPLANE IN MANEUVERS DESCRIBED AS CHANDELLES WITH SHARP POWER REDUCTION AND 1/2 MILE GLIDE. EXAMINATION OF THE ENGINE REVEALED NO EVIDENCE OF PRECRASH FAILURE OR MALFUNCTION. A REVIEW OF ICING PROBABILITY CHARTS INDICATED SERIOUS ICING AT GLIDE POWER BASED ON WEATHER CONDITIONS AT THE TIME OF THE ACCIDENT.

NTSB Probable Cause Narrative

CARBURETOR ICING DUE TO IMPROPER USE OF CARBURETOR HEAT BY THE PILOT, RESULTING IN A FORCED LANDING AND DITCHING.

Event Information

Type of Event Accident
Event Date 3/14/1991
Event Day of the Week Thursday
Time of Event 1542
Event Time Zone Central Standard Time
Event City PANAMA CITY
Event State FLORIDA
Event Country --
Zipcode of the event site 32405
Event Date Year 1991
Event Date Month 3
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 Unknown
Investigator's weather source Weather Observation Facility
Time of the weather observation 1644 Central Standard Time
Direction of event from weather observation facility (degrees) 50
Weather Observation Facility ID PFN
Elevation of weather observation facility 21
Distance of event from weather observation facility (units?) 6
Time Zone of the weather observation CST
Lighting Conditions Day
Lowest Ceiling Height 1500
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) 7
Air Temperature at event time (in degrees celsius) 17
Dew Point at event time (in degress fahrenheit) 8
Wind Direction (degrees magnetic) 260
Variable Wind Indicator Unknown
Wind Speed (knots) 10
Wind Velocity Indicator Unknown
Wind Gust Indicator Unknown
Wind Gust (knots) 0
Altimeter Setting at event time (in. Hg) --
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 2
Injury Total None --
Injury Total Serious --
Injury Total All 2
Investigating Agency NTSB
NTSB Docket Number (internal use) 224
NTSB Notification Source --
NTSB Notification Date --
NTSB Notification Time 0
Fiche Number and/or location -used to find docket information 43307
Date of most recent change to record Dec 18 2002 11:28AM
User who most recently changed record NTSB\GIUV
Basic weather conditions Visual Meteorological Cond
FAA District Office --

Aircraft Involved

Aircraft #1

Aircraft Registration Number N88FP
NTSB Number MIA91LA099
Missing Aircraft Indicator N
Federal Aviation Reg. Part Part 91: General Aviation
Type of Flight Plan filed None
Flight plan Was Activated? --
Damage Substantial
Aircraft Fire None
Aircraft Explosion None
Aircraft Manufacturer's Full Name CESSNA
Aircraft Model 172N
Aircraft Series Identifier 172N
Aircraft Serial Number 17271460
Certified Max Gross Weight 2300
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 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 Unknown
ELT Type --
Aircraft Owner Name BAY AERO CENTER, INC.
Aircraft Owner Street Address 1000 JACKSON WAY
Aircraft Owner City PANAMA CITY
Aircraft Owner State FL
Aircraft Owner Country
Aircraft Owner Zipcode 32405
Operator is an individual? --
Operator Name BAY AERO CENTER, INC.
Operator Same as Owner? Yes
Operator Is Doing Business As --
Operator Address Same as Owner? Yes
Operator Street Address 1000 JACKSON WAY
Operator City PANAMA CITY
Operator State FL
Operator Country
Operator Zip code 32405
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 Yes
Departure Airport Code
Departure City
Departure State
Departure Country
Departure Time 1527
Departure Time Zone CST
Destination Same as Local Flt dest & departure same, accident can occur anywhere
Destination Airport Code
Destination City
Destination State
Destination Country
Specific Phase of Flight Climb
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 --