Panama City-Bay County Airport
Aircraft Accident/Incident Report

Panama City, Florida 32401
Thursday, October 10, 1991 14:32 CDT

NTSB Narrative Summary Released at Completion of Accident

WHILE ON THE DOWNWIND LEG AFTER THE STUDENT POSITIONED THE PROPELLER CONTROL TO THE HIGH RPM POSITION, THE CFI STATED THAT HE HEARD A LOUD NOISE & THE ENG EXPERIENCED A LOSS OF POWER. THE CFI TOOK CONTROL OF THE ACFT, IMMEDIATELY INITIATED A DESCENT, POSITIONED THE PROPELLER CONTROL TO THE LOW RPM POSITION, BUT NEVER LOOKED AT THE ENG INSTRUMENTS. WHILE DESCENDING THE ACFT COLLIDED WITH TREES, THEN CAME TO REST INVERTED ON THE GROUND. THE ACFT WAS EXAMINED WHICH REVEALED FUEL QUANTITY SUFFICIENT TO SUSTAIN ENG OPERATION. THE ENG WAS REMOVED FOR FURTHER EXAMINATION WHICH REVEALED NO EVIDENCE OF PRE-IMPACT FAILURE OR MALFUNCTION. THE PROP & PROP GOVERNOR WERE REMOVED FOR EXAM WHICH REVEALED NO EVIDENCE OF PREIMPACT FAILURE OR MALFUNCTION. NO DETERMINATION COULD BE MADE AS TO THE REASON FOR THE REPORTED LOSS OF POWER.

NTSB Probable Cause Narrative

LOSS OF POWER DUE TO UNDETERMINED REASONS. CONTRIBUTING TO THE ACCIDENT WAS THE CFI'S INADEQUATE EMERGENCY PROCEDURES FOLLOWING THE REPORTED LOSS OF POWER.

Event Information

Type of Event Accident
Event Date 10/10/1991
Event Day of the Week Thursday
Time of Event 1432
Event Time Zone Central Daylight Time
Event City PANAMA CITY
Event State FLORIDA
Event Country --
Zipcode of the event site 32401
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 PANAMA CITY-BAY COUNTY
Event Location Nearest Airport ID PFN
Indicates whether the acc/inc occurred off or on an airport Off Airport/Airstrip
Distance from airport in statute miles 1
Degrees magnetic from airport 140
Airport Elevation 21
Weather Briefing Completeness Unknown
Investigator's weather source Pilot
Time of the weather observation 0
Direction of event from weather observation facility (degrees) 0
Weather Observation Facility ID
Elevation of weather observation facility 0
Distance of event from weather observation facility (units?) 0
Time Zone of the weather observation
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) 8
Air Temperature at event time (in degrees celsius) 24
Dew Point at event time (in degress fahrenheit) --
Wind Direction (degrees magnetic) 0
Variable Wind Indicator Unknown
Wind Speed (knots) 0
Wind Velocity Indicator Unknown
Wind Gust Indicator Unknown
Wind Gust (knots) 0
Altimeter Setting at event time (in. Hg) --
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 2
Injury Total None --
Injury Total Serious --
Injury Total All 2
Investigating Agency NTSB
NTSB Docket Number (internal use) 1732
NTSB Notification Source --
NTSB Notification Date --
NTSB Notification Time 0
Fiche Number and/or location -used to find docket information 45609
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 N25PA
NTSB Number MIA92LA009
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 LAKE
Aircraft Model LA-4
Aircraft Series Identifier LA-4
Aircraft Serial Number 427
Certified Max Gross Weight 2400
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 Oct 2 1991 12:00AM
Airframe hours since last inspection 6
Airframe Hours 1253
ELT Installed Yes
ELT Activated Unknown
ELT Aided Location of Event Site No
ELT Type --
Aircraft Owner Name PANAMA AVIATION
Aircraft Owner Street Address 715 JACKSON WAY
Aircraft Owner City PANAMA CITY
Aircraft Owner State FL
Aircraft Owner Country
Aircraft Owner Zipcode 32401
Operator is an individual? --
Operator Name PANAMA AVIATION
Operator Same as Owner? Yes
Operator Is Doing Business As --
Operator Address Same as Owner? Yes
Operator Street Address 715 JACKSON WAY
Operator City PANAMA CITY
Operator State FL
Operator Country
Operator Zip code 32401
Operator Code
Owner has at least one certificate Yes - certificate holder
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 Yes
Departure Point Same as Event Yes
Departure Airport Code
Departure City
Departure State
Departure Country
Departure Time 1412
Departure Time Zone CDT
Destination Same as Local Flt crash at destination city
Destination Airport Code
Destination City
Destination State
Destination Country
Specific Phase of Flight Descent
Report sent to ICAO? --
Evacuation occurred --
Date of most recent change to record Jan 2 2001 10:30AM
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 --