Aircraft Accident/Incident Report

Valkaria, Florida 32905
Saturday, October 26, 1991 19:59 EDT

NTSB Narrative Summary Released at Completion of Accident

THE PILOT DEPARTED VFR AT NIGHT WITH KNOWN EQUIPMENT DEFICIENCIES (INOPERATIVE LANDING AND INSTRUMENT PANEL LIGHTS). WITNESSES REPORTED BROKEN SKY CONDITION WITH LOW LEVEL OF AMBIENT LIGHT AND NO VISIBLE HORIZON. THE PILOT STATED AFTER TAKEOFF HE WAS ATTEMPTING TO MAINTAIN VISUAL REFERENCE WITH ANOTHER AIRPLANE THAT DEPARTED AHEAD OF HIM, WHEN HE BECAME SPATIALLY DISORIENTED. THIS RESULTED IN AN UNNOTICED LOSS OF ALTITUDE IN A TURN AND AN IN-FLIGHT COLLISION WITH TERRAIN.

NTSB Probable Cause Narrative

THE PILOT-IN-COMMAND'S FAILURE TO MAINTAIN ALTITUDE WHILE MANEUVERING. THIS RESULTED IN THE PILOT BECOMING SPATIALLY DISORIENTED AND AN IN-FLIGHT COLLISION WITH TERRAIN. CONTRIBUTING TO THE ACCIDENT WAS THE PILOT'S DECISION TO OPERATE THE AIRPLANE WITH KNOWN DEFICIENCIES.

Event Information

Type of Event Accident
Event Date 10/26/1991
Event Day of the Week Saturday
Time of Event 1959
Event Time Zone Eastern Daylight Time
Event City VALKARIA
Event State FLORIDA
Event Country --
Zipcode of the event site 32905
Event Date Year 1991
Event Date Month 10
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 1950 Eastern Daylight Time
Direction of event from weather observation facility (degrees) 360
Weather Observation Facility ID MLB
Elevation of weather observation facility 35
Distance of event from weather observation facility (units?) 5
Time Zone of the weather observation EDT
Lighting Conditions Night/Dark
Lowest Ceiling Height 4000
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) 20
Air Temperature at event time (in degrees celsius) 27
Dew Point at event time (in degress fahrenheit) 22
Wind Direction (degrees magnetic) 70
Variable Wind Indicator Unknown
Wind Speed (knots) 9
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 Serious
On Ground, Fatal Injuries 0
On Ground, Minor Injuries 0
On Ground, Serious Injuries 0
Injury Total Fatal --
Injury Total Minor --
Injury Total None --
Injury Total Serious 1
Injury Total All 1
Investigating Agency NTSB
NTSB Docket Number (internal use) 1791
NTSB Notification Source --
NTSB Notification Date --
NTSB Notification Time 0
Fiche Number and/or location -used to find docket information 45669
Date of most recent change to record Dec 12 2000 10:48AM
User who most recently changed record dbo
Basic weather conditions Visual Meteorological Cond
FAA District Office --

Aircraft Involved

Aircraft #1

Aircraft Registration Number N24431
NTSB Number MIA92FA017
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 None
Aircraft Explosion None
Aircraft Manufacturer's Full Name CESSNA
Aircraft Model 152
Aircraft Series Identifier 152
Aircraft Serial Number 15280256
Certified Max Gross Weight 1670
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 100 Hour
Date of Last Inspection Sep 29 1991 12:00AM
Airframe hours since last inspection 73
Airframe Hours 5881
ELT Installed Yes
ELT Activated Unknown
ELT Aided Location of Event Site Unknown
ELT Type --
Aircraft Owner Name
Aircraft Owner Street Address
Aircraft Owner City
Aircraft Owner State
Aircraft Owner Country
Aircraft Owner Zipcode
Operator is an individual? --
Operator Name SILVER EXPRESS
Operator Same as Owner? No
Operator Is Doing Business As --
Operator Address Same as Owner? No
Operator Street Address P.O. BOX 165505
Operator City MIAMI
Operator State FL
Operator Country
Operator Zip code 33116
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) Business
Second Pilot on Board No
Departure Point Same as Event No
Departure Airport Code X59
Departure City VALKARIA
Departure State FL
Departure Country
Departure Time 1957
Departure Time Zone EDT
Destination Same as Local Flt --
Destination Airport Code VRB
Destination City VERO BEACH
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 10:35AM
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 --