Aircraft Accident/Incident Report

Parkland, Florida 33067
Saturday, January 2, 1988 8:04 EST

NTSB Narrative Summary Released at Completion of Accident

ACFT WAS SEEN DESCENDING IN A NEAR VERTICAL DIVE AT A HIGH RATE OF SPEED WITH NO ROTATION ALONG THE ROLL AXIS. THE ACFT CRASHED NOSE FIRST INTO A NEWLY PLANTED CORN FIELD. POST CRASH EXAMINATION OF THE ACFT STRUCTURE, FLIGHT CONTROLS, AND ENGINE REVEALED NO EVIDENCE OF PRECRASH MECHANICAL FAILURE OR MALFUNCTION. THE INVESTIGATION REVEALED THAT THE PILOT HAD EXPERIENCED MEDICAL PROBLEMS WITH CANCER; HIS BROTHER HAD DIED FROM CANCER; HIS FATHER HAD DIED THREE MONTHS BEFORE; AND HIS MOTHER-IN-LAW, WHOM HE WAS CLOSE TO, RECENTLY HAD A STROKE. THE PILOT'S WIFE INITIALLY STATED THAT SHE BELIEVED THE PILOT HAD INTENTIONALLY KILLED HIMSELF. THE PILOT WAS ON AN UNSUPERVISED SOLO BUT HAD NOT BEEN CLEARED OUT OF THE TRAFFIC PATTERN. THE ACCIDENT SITE WAS 11 MILES FROM THE AIRPORT. THE MEDICAL EXAMINER RULED THE MANNER OF DEATH AS SUICIDE.

NTSB Probable Cause Narrative

Not Yet Reported

Event Information

Type of Event Accident
Event Date 1/2/1988
Event Day of the Week Saturday
Time of Event 804
Event Time Zone Eastern Standard Time
Event City PARKLAND
Event State FLORIDA
Event Country --
Zipcode of the event site 33067
Event Date Year 1988
Event Date Month 1
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 0
Weather Briefing Completeness Unknown
Investigator's weather source Weather Observation Facility
Time of the weather observation 747 Eastern Standard Time
Direction of event from weather observation facility (degrees) 145
Weather Observation Facility ID FXE
Elevation of weather observation facility 14
Distance of event from weather observation facility (units?) 10
Time Zone of the weather observation EST
Lighting Conditions Day
Lowest Ceiling Height 0
Lowest Non-Ceiling Height 2000
Sky/Lowest/Cloud Conditions Scattered
Sky Condition for Lowest Ceiling None
Visibility Runway Visual Range (Feet) 0
Visibility Runway Visual Value (Statute Miles) 0
Visibility (Statute Miles) 12
Air Temperature at event time (in degrees celsius) --
Dew Point at event time (in degress fahrenheit) --
Wind Direction (degrees magnetic) 100
Variable Wind Indicator Unknown
Wind Speed (knots) 5
Wind Velocity Indicator Unknown
Wind Gust Indicator Not Gusting
Wind Gust (knots) 0
Altimeter Setting at event time (in. Hg) 30
Density Altitude (feet) --
Intensity of Precipitation Unknown
METAR weather report --
Event Highest Injury Fatal
On Ground, Fatal Injuries 0
On Ground, Minor Injuries 0
On Ground, Serious Injuries 0
Injury Total Fatal 1
Injury Total Minor --
Injury Total None --
Injury Total Serious --
Injury Total All 1
Investigating Agency NTSB
NTSB Docket Number (internal use) 206
NTSB Notification Source --
NTSB Notification Date Jan 2 1988 12:00AM
NTSB Notification Time 1030
Fiche Number and/or location -used to find docket information 35824
Date of most recent change to record Dec 13 2000 11:29AM
User who most recently changed record dbo
Basic weather conditions Visual Meteorological Cond
FAA District Office --

Aircraft Involved

Aircraft #1

Aircraft Registration Number N24480
NTSB Number MIA88FA081
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 15280277
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 Oct 15 1987 12:00AM
Airframe hours since last inspection 77
Airframe Hours 2201
ELT Installed Yes
ELT Activated No
ELT Aided Location of Event Site No
ELT Type --
Aircraft Owner Name FMC INC.
Aircraft Owner Street Address 919 COCONUT DR. SW
Aircraft Owner City FT. LAUDERDALE
Aircraft Owner State FL
Aircraft Owner Country
Aircraft Owner Zipcode 33315
Operator is an individual? --
Operator Name AM. AVIA. TRN. ENT., INC.
Operator Same as Owner? No
Operator Is Doing Business As --
Operator Address Same as Owner? No
Operator Street Address 2675 NW 56TH ST. E.
Operator City FT. LAUDERDALE
Operator State FL
Operator Country
Operator Zip code 33309
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 FXE
Departure City FT. LAUDERDALE
Departure State FL
Departure Country
Departure Time 718
Departure Time Zone EST
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 Descent
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 0
Runway Width 0
Sight Seeing flight No
Air Medical Flight No
Medical Flight --