Ft Lauderdale Executive Airport
Aircraft Accident/Incident Report

Margate, Florida 33063
Thursday, March 15, 1990 13:25 EST

NTSB Narrative Summary Released at Completion of Accident

THE PLT STATED THAT THE NOSE GEAR STRUT WAS 'SLIGHTLY EXTENDED' WHEN THE FUEL TANKS WERE TOPPED OFF, WHICH WAS VERIFIED BY VISUAL INSPECTION & THE FUEL GAUGES. THE FLT DEPARTED TO A PVT ARPT TO ENPLANE 2 PAX THEN DEPARTED & LANDED AT AN ARPT WHERE THE INTL VFR FLT PLAN WAS FILED. THE FLT DEPARTED & EN ROUTE WAS UNEVENTFUL BUT DURING THE EXTENDED DOWNWIND LEG, BOTH ENG'S QUIT DUE TO FUEL EXHAUSTION. DURING THE LANDING ROLL ON A CANAL, THE RT WING COLLIDED WITH AN OBJECT. THE OWNERS HANDBOOK STATES THAT THE LANDING GEAR STRUTS SHOULD BE EXTENDED 2 3/4 INCHES UNDER STATIC LOAD. EXAM OF THE ACFT REVEALED THAT LOCATED ON THE UNDERSIDE OF THE MAIN FUEL TANK FILLER COVER DOOR WAS A PLACARD WHICH STATES THAT 'FILLING INSTRUCTIONS TO OBTAIN MAXIMUM CAPACITY, ACFT MUST BE APRX LEVEL WITH LANDING GEARS EQUALLY EXTENDED. NONVENTED FUEL CAP TIGHTENED SECURELY.' THE PLT FURTHER STATED THAT HE ESTIMATES THAT THE FUEL CAPACITY WAS 7.7 GALLONS SHORT WHEN THE FUEL TANKS WERE TOPPED OFF.

NTSB Probable Cause Narrative

LOSS OF POWER IN BOTH ENGINES DUE TO FUEL EXHAUSTION, RESULTING IN A FORCED LANDING. A FACTOR IN THE ACCIDENT WAS THAT THE PILOT DID NOT FOLLOW THE FLIGHT MANUAL TO ENSURE THAT THE FUEL TANKS WERE FILLED TO CAPACITY.

Event Information

Type of Event Accident
Event Date 3/15/1990
Event Day of the Week Thursday
Time of Event 1325
Event Time Zone Eastern Standard Time
Event City MARGATE
Event State FLORIDA
Event Country --
Zipcode of the event site 33063
Event Date Year 1990
Event Date Month 3
MidAir Collision Indicator No
On Ground Collision occurred ? No
Event Location Latitude
Event Location Longitude
Event Location Airport FT LAUDERDALE EXECUTIVE
Event Location Nearest Airport ID FXE
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 14
Weather Briefing Completeness Not pertinent
Investigator's weather source Weather Observation Facility
Time of the weather observation 1326 Eastern Standard Time
Direction of event from weather observation facility (degrees) 132
Weather Observation Facility ID FXE
Elevation of weather observation facility 14
Distance of event from weather observation facility (units?) 4
Time Zone of the weather observation EST
Lighting Conditions Day
Lowest Ceiling Height 2500
Lowest Non-Ceiling Height 1500
Sky/Lowest/Cloud Conditions Scattered
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) -18
Dew Point at event time (in degress fahrenheit) -18
Wind Direction (degrees magnetic) 140
Variable Wind Indicator Unknown
Wind Speed (knots) 20
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 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 3
Injury Total Serious --
Injury Total All --
Investigating Agency NTSB
NTSB Docket Number (internal use) 339
NTSB Notification Source --
NTSB Notification Date Mar 15 1990 12:00AM
NTSB Notification Time 1635
Fiche Number and/or location -used to find docket information 41149
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 N7114Y
NTSB Number MIA90LA089
Missing Aircraft Indicator N
Federal Aviation Reg. Part Part 91: General Aviation
Type of Flight Plan filed VFR
Flight plan Was Activated? --
Damage Substantial
Aircraft Fire None
Aircraft Explosion None
Aircraft Manufacturer's Full Name PIPER
Aircraft Model PA-30
Aircraft Series Identifier PA-30
Aircraft Serial Number 30-135
Certified Max Gross Weight 3600
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 2
Fixed gear or retractable gear Retractable
Aircraft, Type of Last Inspection Unknown
Date of Last Inspection --
Airframe hours since last inspection 0
Airframe Hours --
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 BERNABY, FRANK A.
Operator Same as Owner? No
Operator Is Doing Business As --
Operator Address Same as Owner? No
Operator Street Address 28 LELA AVE.
Operator City HAVERHILL
Operator State MA
Operator Country
Operator Zip code 01832
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 No
Departure Airport Code MDPP
Departure City PUERTO PLATA
Departure State OF
Departure Country
Departure Time 945
Departure Time Zone AST
Destination Same as Local Flt --
Destination Airport Code FXE
Destination City FT LAUDERDALE
Destination State FL
Destination Country
Specific Phase of Flight Approach
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 13
Runway Length 3999
Runway Width 100
Sight Seeing flight No
Air Medical Flight No
Medical Flight --