Aircraft Accident/Incident Report

St Petersburg, Florida 33705
Thursday, September 23, 1999 8:59 EDT

NTSB Narrative Summary Released at Completion of Accident

The pilot stated that while engaged in traffic reporting duties, at 1,000 feet, 6 miles southwest of the Albert Whitted Municipal Airport, the engine started to sputter and there was a loss of engine power. The pilot further stated that she performed the emergency checklist, turned toward Albert Whitted Municipal Airport, and made a radio call. She attempted to regain cruise power, but the engine produced insufficient power to maintain altitude. She ditched the airplane in shallow water in the vicinity of Tierra Verde, where both she and the passenger were rescued. According to an FAA inspector who conducted an examination of the airplane, the throttle control cable clamp, located just aft of the carburetor was loose from the throttle housing, and made a bow upwards without fully manipulating the throttle control arm.

NTSB Probable Cause Narrative

A loose throttle control cable clamp which resulted in a lose of power.

Event Information

Type of Event Accident
Event Date 9/23/1999
Event Day of the Week Thursday
Time of Event 859
Event Time Zone Eastern Daylight Time
Event City ST PETERSBURG
Event State FLORIDA
Event Country --
Zipcode of the event site 33705
Event Date Year 1999
Event Date Month 9
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 --
Degrees magnetic from airport --
Airport Elevation --
Weather Briefing Completeness Not pertinent
Investigator's weather source Weather Observation Facility
Time of the weather observation 835 Eastern Daylight Time
Direction of event from weather observation facility (degrees) 45
Weather Observation Facility ID SPG
Elevation of weather observation facility 8
Distance of event from weather observation facility (units?) 6
Time Zone of the weather observation EDT
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) 10
Air Temperature at event time (in degrees celsius) 22
Dew Point at event time (in degress fahrenheit) 19
Wind Direction (degrees magnetic) 30
Variable Wind Indicator Unknown
Wind Speed (knots) 9
Wind Velocity Indicator Unknown
Wind Gust Indicator Not Gusting
Wind Gust (knots) 0
Altimeter Setting at event time (in. Hg) 29
Density Altitude (feet) 800
Intensity of Precipitation Unknown
METAR weather report --
Event Highest Injury None
On Ground, Fatal Injuries 0
On Ground, Minor Injuries 0
On Ground, Serious Injuries 0
Injury Total Fatal --
Injury Total Minor --
Injury Total None 2
Injury Total Serious --
Injury Total All --
Investigating Agency NTSB
NTSB Docket Number (internal use) 916
NTSB Notification Source --
NTSB Notification Date Sep 23 1999 12:00AM
NTSB Notification Time 953
Fiche Number and/or location -used to find docket information IMAGE
Date of most recent change to record Dec 12 2000 11:56AM
User who most recently changed record dbo
Basic weather conditions Visual Meteorological Cond
FAA District Office --

Aircraft Involved

Aircraft #1

Aircraft Registration Number N3342T
NTSB Number MIA99LA271
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 177
Aircraft Series Identifier 177
Aircraft Serial Number 17700642
Certified Max Gross Weight 2350
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 100 Hour
Date of Last Inspection Aug 5 1999 12:00AM
Airframe hours since last inspection 72
Airframe Hours 2672
ELT Installed Yes
ELT Activated Unknown
ELT Aided Location of Event Site Unknown
ELT Type --
Aircraft Owner Name RNI INCORPORATED
Aircraft Owner Street Address HWY 59 NORTH BOX 100
Aircraft Owner City GRAVETTE
Aircraft Owner State AR
Aircraft Owner Country
Aircraft Owner Zipcode 72736
Operator is an individual? --
Operator Name BAY AIR FLYING SERVICE INC.
Operator Same as Owner? No
Operator Is Doing Business As --
Operator Address Same as Owner? No
Operator Street Address 107- 8 AVE S.E.
Operator City ST. PETERSBURG
Operator State FL
Operator Country
Operator Zip code 33701
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 Yes
Departure Airport Code SPG
Departure City
Departure State
Departure Country
Departure Time 610
Departure Time Zone EDT
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 Cruise
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 --