Wakulla County Airport
Aircraft Accident/Incident Report

Panacea, Florida 32346
Sunday, June 13, 1999 14:15 EDT

The pilot reported that he previously had a discrepancy with the end of the plastic tubing that connected to the pitot tube. He had cut the damaged end off and reconnected the tubing to the pitot tube and also had replacement tubing in his car but he reported that he 'did not have time to replace it.' The accident flight departed and while flying over the bay, the pilot recognized that the airspeed indication was incorrect based on the power setting and visual clues. He elected to continue the flight and stated that the airplane did not turn with left rudder and slight left aileron. He added full power; the engine responded and he expected to land in the bay to identify the discrepancy with the airspeed indicator. The flight climbed to 100-150 feet above ground level, where while in a climb attitude, he applied right rudder. The airplane then reportedly entered either an accelerated stall or an uncoordinated turn, rolled to the right, pitched nose down, then impacted the water. He further stated that there was no engine or flight control preimpact failure or malfunction.

The intentional continued operation of the airplane by the pilot-in-command with known deficiencies with the pitot system after takeoff, resulting in erroneous airspeed indications, and inadvertent stall by the pilot resulting in the uncontrolled descent into the water.